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Wages  in  Great  Britain,  France 
and  Germany 


Research  Report  Nupiber  40 
August,  192'1 


t 


National  Industrial  Conference  Board 


THE  CENTURY  CO. 
NEW  YORK 
PUBLISHERS 


Ihis  book   is  DUE  on  the  last  date  stamped  below 


4906 

-"^^^ll     N2] 

f/^^P-1   TT.t.    Indus. 

Southern  Branch 
of  the 

University  of  California 

Los  Angeles 

Form  L  1 

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^a    C'vU^  '  <*    ' 


WAGES  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN,  FRANCE 
AND  GERMANY 


SOUTHERN  BRANCH, 

iJNIVERSlTY  OF  CALIFORNIA, 

LIBRARY, 

UaS  ANGELES.  CALIF. 


Research  Report  Number  40 
August,  192  i 


.•  < 


National  Industrial  Conference  Board 


THE  CENTURY  CO. 
NEW  YORK 
PUBLISHERS 

<"»  "^  O  o  o 

0  J  ^  b  0 


Copyright,  1921 
National  Industrial  Conference  Board 


k 


\1\ 


"A 

^  Foreword 

^  It  is  felt  that  a  report  on  wages  in  Great  Britain,  France, 

^j  and  Germany  is  of  especially  timely  interest  in  view  of  the 
^^*  tariff  revisions  now  under  consideration  by  Congress.  Such  a 
report  should  be  of  value  to  American  industry  as  well  as  to 
governmental  bodies  in  estimating  the  extent  to  which  the 
American  manufacturers  is  handicapped  by  the  lower  costs 
in  these  foreign  industrial  countries.  While  wages  are,  of 
course,  only  one  element  of  the  total  manufacturing  cost  to  be 
n  taken  into  consideration,  they  are  of  such  importance  as  to 
make  a  separate  study  of  them  definitely  worth  while  regard- 
less of  the  situation  in  respect  to  the  other  elements  of  cost. 


^\ 


SOUTHERN  BRANCH, 

^(  liNIVERSIlY  Of  CALIFORNIA, 

"^'^  LIBRARY,, 


-J 


CONTENTS 

PAGE 

Introduction    1 

I.  General   Wage   Situation    in    Great   Britain, 

France  and  Germany 5 

Great  Britai  n   7 

France  9 

Germany    1 1 

II.  Building  Trades   14 

Great  Britain   14 

France  16 

Germany    18 

III.  Mining    23 

Great  Britain   23 

Coal  Mining 23 

Other  Mining  and  Quarrying 24 

France  25 

Coal  Mining 25 

Potash  Mining 28 

Germany    28 

Lignite   Mining    30 

Metal  Mining 31 

IV.  Metal  Manufacturing  32 

Great  Britain   32 

Iron  and  Steel 32 

Engineering  and  Shipbuilding 33 

Other  Metal  Trades : .  .  .  35 

France  ^' 

Iron  and  Steel  38 

Engineering    39 

Germany    44 

General  Metal  Trades 45 

Vehicle   Manufacturing    50 

Shipbuilding   51 

Electrical  Industry    51 

V 


J'AGK 

V.  Tkxtiles ^-^ 

Grkat  Britai  n    5>^ 

Cotton   53 

Woolen  and  Worsted  54 

Bleaching,  Dyeing  and  Finishing 56 

Other   Textiles    58 

Hosiery  58 

Silk    59 

Jute   59 

France  60 

Germany   64 

VI.  Clothing    Manufacturing    72 

Great  Britain   72 

France  72 

Germany    74 

VII.  Leather  Manufacturing   77 

Great  Britain   77 

Tanning 77 

Boots  and  Shoes  78 

Glove  Manufacture 79 

France  79 

Tanning 80 

Boots  and  Shoes  80 

Glove  Manufacture 81 

Germany    81 

Tanning  , 82 

Boots  and  Shoes   .  . 83 

VIII.  Sand,  Clay  and  Glass 84 

Great  Britain   84 

Pottery    84 

Glass    85 

France   86 

Pottery    86 

Glass    86 

Marble 86 

Germany    87 

Pottery    87 

Glass    87 

Brick  Making 88 

vi 


PAGE 

IX.  Chemicals 89 

Great  Britain   89 

Alkalies,  Heavy  Chemicals  and  Dyes.  ...  89 

Paint,  Color  and  Varnish 89 

Drugs  and  Fine  Chemicals 90 

Printing  Ink  Manufacture 90 

Soap  and  Candle  Manufacture 90 

France  91 

Electro-Metallurgical   and   Electro-Chem- 
ical Industries    91 

General  Chemical  Industry 91 

Dye  Manufacturing    91 

Germany    92 

Dyeing 93 

Soap  Making  93 

X.  Paper,  Printing  and  Bookbinding 94 

Great  Britain   94 

Printing  and  Bookbinding 94 

Paper  Bag  and  Box  Making 95 

Paper  Making 96 

France  97 

Printing  and   Bookbinding    97 

Paper  Box  Making 98 

Germany    98 

Paper    98 

Printing    99 

XI.  Woodworking  101 

Great  Britain   101 

France  103 

Germany   104 

XII.  Baking  and  Confectionery  106 

Great  Britain   106 

France  107 

Germany    108 

Addendum  :  Wages  in  Switzerland   110 


Wages  in  Great  Britain,  France 
and  Germany 


INTRODUCTION 

This  report  is  a  compilation  from  available  sources  of  wage 
data  in  Great  Britain,  France  and  Germany.  The  industries 
covered  by  the  report  are :  building ;  mining  ;  metal ;  textile ; 
clothing ;  leather  ;  sand,  clay  and  glass  ;  chemical ;  papers,  print- 
ing and  bookbinding ;  woodworking" ;  and  baking  and  confec- 
tionery. These  industries  together  employ  the  greater  part  of 
the  industrial  wage-earners  in  the  countries  named. 

In  general,  the  period  covered  by  the  report  is  from  April, 
1920,  to  April,  1921.  Much  of  the  wage  data  were  taken 
from  collective  agreements  which  were  entered  upon  during  the 
early  part  of  1920,  and  are  therefore  recognized  as  of  that 
date,  although  rates  fixed  in  these  agreements  were  effective 
until  much  later.  In  all  cases  where  it  was  found  that  the 
early  agreements  had  been  replaced,  the  latest  available  figures 
were  used. 

Cost  of  living  figures  have  also  been  given  in  connection 
with  wages  for  the  three  countries  studied,  in  the  first  place 
to  aid  in  estimating  the  purchasing  power  of  the  wages,  and 
secondly,  because  the  cost  of  living  has  been  used  to  a  very 
large  extent  in  these  countries  in  the  adjustment  of  wages. 

The  main  sources  of  the  data  used  are  (1)  the  reports, 
published  and  unpublished,  of  United  States  ofBcial  representa- 
tives in  Great  Britain,  France  and  Germany;  (2)  the  official 
publications  of  the  various  countries;  and  (3)  the  bulletins  of 
the  International  Labor  Office.  For  France  and  Germany 
translations  have  been  made  direct  from  the  official  publica- 
tions.   In  all  cases  the  sources  of  the  data  used  are  given. 

The  wage  figures  are  presented  in  foreign  money  and  in 
American  dollars.  The  conversion  to  dollars  has  been  made 
at  par  of  exchange,  and  also  on  the  basis  of  the  average  rate 

1 


oi  exchange  from  April,  1920  to  April,  1921. ^  The  latter 
conversion  rate  was  chosen  because  it  represents  approximately 
the  period  covered  by  the  wage  data,  and  because  in  the  case  of 
each  country  it  affords  a  rough  idea  of  present  exchange  values. 

Character  of  Material 

The  data  presented  are  taken  by  the  Board  as  fairly  repre- 
sentative of  the  wage  situation  in  these  three  countries  for 
the  period  covered.  Certain  outstanding  characteristics  of 
the  material  from  tiie  different  sources,  however,  should  be 
noted  : 

1.  The  data  are  of  different  dates,  varying  from  early  in 
1920  to  the  spring  of  1921.  Most  of  the  official  figures  from 
any  country,  especially  if  in  the  form  of  a  general  average, 
are  of  an  early  date.  An  example  of  this  is  the  survey  of 
wages  in  German  industries  made  by  the  German  Federal 
Statistical  Office  in  l^^bruary,  1920.  Such  figures  are  valuable 
for  comparative  purposes,  but  in  so  using  them  the  change 
since  that  time  should  be  taken  into  account. 

Other  wage  figures  given  for  the  first  part  of  1920  are 
those  contained  in  collective  agreements  of  that  period.  In 
many  cases,  such  agreements  were  to  be  in  effect  definitely 
until  the  end  of  1920.  In  other  cases  no  specific  statement 
of  duration  was  given,  but  in  the  absence  of  superseding  agree- 
ments these  rates  were  included,  as  being  in  effect  probably 
until  a  considerably  later  time  than  the  date  of  the  agreement. 
In  the  use  of  these  figures,  also,  allowance  must  be  made  for 
the  time  element. 

Other  data,  of  the  summer  and  early  fall  of  1920,  have  been 
included  for  comparative  purposes. 

The  end  of  1920  probably  marks  the  peak  of  wages  in  Great 
Britain  and  France.  Between  January  and  April  of  1921 
wage  reductions  amounting  to  approximately  15%  to  20%  oc- 
curred in  a  large  number  of  the  industries  in  these  countries. 
In  Germany,  however,  there  had  been  no  decrease  in  wages 
during  the  first  months  of  1921. 

'Par  of  exchange:  pounds,  $4.8665;  shillings,  $.2433;  pente,  $.0203; 
francs,  $.193 ;  marks,  $.2383. 

Average  rate  of  exchange  for  the  period  April  1,  1920  to  April  1, 
1921,  computed  from  weekly  quotations:  pounds,  $3.7457;  shillings, 
$.18728;  pence,  $.0156;  francs,  $.0693;  marks,  $.01878. 


2.  In  certain  instances  the  wage  data  are  presented  in  the 
form  of  averages  for  whole  industries  within  a  country.  These 
averages  may  be  official  government  figures  or  they  may  be 
representative  figures  obtained  by  United  States  Consuls  from 
unofficial  sources,  such  as  trade  associations,  labor  unions,  or 
individuals.  Whenever  possible  the  original  source  has  been 
noted,  so  that  the  figures  may  be  evaluated  according  to  their 
source. 

3.  For  the  most  part  the  data  in  the  report  are  in  the  form 
of  rates  for  single  industries  in  particular  localities,  because 
the  latest  information  for  the  various  countries  is  contained  in 
the  reports  of  collective  agreements  between  local  associations 
of  employers  and  employees.  Since  in  the  three  countries 
studied,  especially  in  certain  industries,  there  is  a  recognized 
system  of  adjusting  wages  in  the  various  classes  of  localities, 
according  to  the  relative  cost  of  living,  wage  rates  for  dif- 
ferent places  often  vary  widely.  In  an  attempt  to  make  the 
data  in  this  report  as  representative  as  possible,  figures  from 
all  classes  of  localities  have  been  included. 

4.  The  tables  of  wages  and  wage  rates  have  been  con- 
densed as  much  as  was  feasible.  Wherever  possible  the  figures 
for  separate  occupational  groups  have  been  kept  distinct  and  the 
various  degrees  of  skill  differentiated.  In  many  cases,  however, 
the  figures  for  different  age  groups  or  for  different  classes  of 
localities  have  been  thrown  together  and  only  the  lowest  and 
highest  figures  reported.  Children's  wages  have  in  most  cases 
been  omitted. 

5.  In  all  the  data  presented  an  eft"ort  has  been  made  to  dis- 
tinguish between  actual  wages  and  wage  rates.  Actual  wages 
or  earnings  show  the  average  amount  actually  paid  to  the 
worker  per  hour,  day,  week  or  month,  as  the  case  may  be.  The 
wage  rates,  on  the  other  hand,  show  only  the  amount  to  be  paid, 
usually  in  accordance  with  an  agreement.  The  rates  may 
be  either  minimum  rates,  or  definite  rates  set  for  certain  classes 
of  workers,  designated  according  to  occupation,  degree  of 
skill,  age  or  sex. 

6.  Hourly,  daily,  weekly,  and  monthly  wage  figures  are  in- 
cluded in  the  report,  inasmuch  as  it  was  impossible  to  reduce  all 
the  data  to  the  same  time-units  because  of  lack  of  information 
as  to  hours  worked,  etc.  An  effort  has  been  made,  however,  to 
keep  the  data  within  tables  on  the  same  basis,  and  occasionally 

3 


this  has  r(.'(|uir(.(l  the  computation  of  hourly  rates  from  daily 
rates,  or  vice  versa. 

7.  Bonuses  have  hceii  inckulctl,  wherever  possible,  in  the 
wage  figures  presented. 

In  the  use  of  these  wage  figures  there  will  probably  be  a 
temptation  to  make  direct  comparison  with  wages  in  the  United 
States,  and  to  (haw  from  them  conclusions  regarding  the  rela- 
tive cost  of  production  in  the  (lifi:'erent  countries.  Such  com- 
])arisons  and  conclusions  must  be  made  with  great  caution, 
recognizing  the  (|ualifications  of  the  material  as  stated  above. 
It  should  also  be  recognized  that  wages  are  but  one  ele- 
ment in  the  total  cost  of  production,  and  that  the  importance 
of  this  element  varies,  not  only  between  industries  in  different 
countries,  but  between  establishments  in  the  same  country,  be- 
cause differences  in  production  methods,  ecjuipment,  and  char- 
acter and  capacity  of  the  workers  make  for  different  degrees 
of  productivity  per  worker, 

A  summary  of  the  general  wage  situation  in  Great  Britain, 
France  and  Germany  is  given  in  the  following  section.  The 
body  of  the  material,  however,  is  arranged  by  industries,  with 
the  wage  data  for  Great  Britain,  France  and  Germany  grouped 
together  for  each  industry. 


I 

GENERAL  WAGE  SITUATION  IN  GREAT  BRITAIN, 
FRANCE  AND  GERMANY 

Percentage  increases  over  1914  wages  in  the  three  countries 
studied  varied  widely  among  different  grades  of  workmen. 
The  more  highly  paid  workmen  received  a  relatively  small  in- 
crease, while  the  lower  paid  workers  received  a  relatively 
large  increase.  This  was  due  to  the  fact  that  money  increases 
to  cover  the  increased  cost  of  living  were  practically  the  same 
for  all  classes  of  workmen,  and  the  relative  increase,  there- 
fore, was  disproportionate.  In  Germany,  especially,  there  has 
been  a  tendency  for  the  wages  of  unskilled  workers  to  approach 
those  of  skilled  workmen ;  the  former  must  have  a  subsistence 
wage,  and  employers  have  been  able  to  pay  but  little  more 
than  this  minimum  to  skilled  workers. 

The  purchasing  power  of  the  wages  of  workmen  In  the 
various  countries  is  difficult  to  estimate.  In  Great  Britain 
it  is  very  probable  that  wages  have  in  general  followed  re- 
tail prices  so  closely  that  there  is  little  difference  in  the  pur- 
chasing power  of  those  wages  now  as  compared  with  1914. 
Especially  is  this  true  in  those  industries  where  the  cost  of 
living  figure  is  used  as  a  basis  for  determining  wages.  Fig- 
ures reported  by  the  United  States  Trade  Commissioner  indi- 
cate that  the  cost  of  living  in  France  had  increased  more  than 
300%  by  the  end  of  1920,  and  that  wages  were  lagging  behind. 
Since  no  official  data  for  France  as  a  whole  are  available,  how- 
ever, there  are  no  means  of  judging  to  what  extent  this 
figure  is  representative.  For  Germany,  also,  no  compre- 
hensive figures  for  the  whole  country  are  to  be  had.  It  is  esti- 
mated, however,  that  the  cost  of  living  there  has  gone  up  to  a 
greater  extent  than  have  wages.  A  male  adult  worker  in 
Berlin  in  November,  1920,  is  estimated  to  have  received  an 
increase  over  1913  in  average  weekly  wages  of  700%,  while  the 
cost  of  living  in  Berlin  during  the  same  period  had  increased 
1100%.    The  peak  of  prices  was  reached  in  all  three  coun- 

5 


tries  at  the  end  of  192U.  In  Great  iiriiaiii  and  France  this 
resuUed  in  substantial  reductions  in  wages  in  most  of  the 
industries  during  the  first  months  of  1921,  but  in  Germany 
there  was  no  evidence  in  the  wage  agreements  of  reductions 
in  wages,  possibly  because,  even  with  the  decrease  in  prices, 
the  cost  of  living  was  still  above  wage  levels. 

There  has  been  extensive  use  of  the  cost  of  living  as 
a  basis  for  wage  determination  in  all  three  countries.  In 
Great  Britain  wages  in  a  number  of  industries  are  regularly 
adjusted  in  accordance  with  the  official  cost  of  living  figure 
published  by  the  Ministry  of  Labour.  In  France  investiga- 
tions of  changes  in  cost  of  living  conducted  by  local  com- 
missions and  also  by  associations  of  manufacturers  have  been 
used  quite  extensively  as  a  basis  in  the  settlement  of  wage 
disputes.  In  Germany,  also,  the  cost  of  living,  especially 
as  it  varies  between  localities,  is  definitely  recognized  in  ad- 
justing wages.  Experience  with  such  a  system  of  wage  ad- 
justment, however,  has  shown  that  any  lowering  of  wages  due 
to  a  fall  in  prices  meets  with  resistance  from  the  wage 
earners,  and  that  the  validity  of  cost  of  living  figures  used 
is  questioned.  In  Great  Britain,  for  instance,  a  Parliamentary 
Committee  was  formed  to  make  an  investigation  of  cost  of 
living,  and  arrived  at  a  figure  which,  in  September,  1920,  was 
189%  above  July,  1914,  as  contrasted  with  the  161%  increase 
shown  by  the  cost  of  living  index  of  the  Ministry  of  Labour, 
which  has  been  used  as  the  basis  for  determination  of  wages 
in  a  large  number  of  industries. 

Various  methods  of  adjusting  wages  are  in  operation.  In 
Great  Britain,  beside  the  adjustments  made  in  accordance 
with  the  official  cost  of  living  figure,  wages  are  determined 
by  sliding  scales  based  on  the  selling  price  of  the  commodity, 
by  variations  in  output  of  the  product,  and  by  negotiations  be- 
tween employers'  associations  and  trade  unions.  In  France, 
as  far  as  can  be  determined,  most  of  the  wage  settlements  are 
negotiated  between  the  employers'  associations  and  unions,  or 
between  individual  employers  and  their  employees.  Cost  of 
living  figures  are  largely  used  in  arriving  at  such  settlements, 
as  has  been  indicated,  and  in  certain  instances  the  wage  rates 
are  adjusted  periodically  in  accordance  with  these  figures.  In 
Germany  collective  bargaining  has  become  the  principal  means 
of  setting  wages,  with  a  system  of  central  wage  boards  for  the 

6 


arbitration  of  disputes.  Agreements  in  an  industry  are  often 
made  to  cover  the  whole  country,  but  in  the  wage  rates  for 
different  "grades"  of  locaHties  such  agreements  allow  for  the 
varying  cost  of  living  in  these  localities. 

Premium  bonuses  and  war  bonuses,  in  addition  to  the  regu- 
lar wage,  are  extensively  used.  In  Great  Britain  they  were 
originally  introduced  as  a  war  measure  to  increase  production, 
and  still  are  employed  in  certain  industries,  though  retained 
now  rather  to  relieve  the  cost  of  living  situation  than  to 
stimulate  production.  In  both  France  and  Germany  provi- 
sions for  cost  of  living  bonuses  and  family  allowances  to 
married  workers  with  children  are  a  regular  feature  of  wage 
agreements. 

A  compilation  of  material  on  the  general  wage  situation  in 
each  of  the  three  countries  is  given  in  the  following  sections. 

Great  Britain 

According  to  a  summary  in  the  February,  1921,  issue  of 
the  British  Labour  Gazette,  percentage  increases  over  1914 
rates  of  wages  in  Great  Britain  show  a  wide  diversity  among 
different  classes  of  workers.  In  some  cases,  especially  among 
the  more  highly  paid  workmen,  increases  up  to  the  end  of 
1920  amounted  to  not  more  than  120  or  130%.  On  the  other 
hand,  among  the  lower  paid  grades  of  workmen  in  the  same 
industries,  the  advances  were  equivalent  to  200%  or  more, 
and  there  w^ere  some  exceptional  instances  of  increase  of  over 
300%.  It  is  estimated  that  the  average  increase  in  full  time 
weekly  rates  of  adult  workers  was  equivalent  to  from  170  to 
180%.  As  the  length  of  the  nominal  work  week  had  been  con- 
siderably reduced  in  the  same  period — the  usual  range  at  the 
end  of  1920  being  about  44  to  48  hours  weekly  as  compared 
with  48  to  60  hours  before  the  war — the  percentage  increase 
in  hourly  rates  was  substantially  greater. 

In  a  number  of  industries  agreements  have  been  made  by 
employers'  associations  and  trade  unions  concerned,  providing 
for  the  regular  and  automatic  adjustment  of  wage  rates  in  ac- 
cordance with  variations  in  the  cost  of  living.  The  general 
principle  of  all  these  agreements  is  that  a  given  amount  of  rise 
or  fall  in  the  cost  of  living  shall  be  followed  by  a  definite 
amount  of  increase  or  decrease  in  wage  rates.     In  nearly  all 

7 


• 


cases,  the  figure  for  the  cost  of  living  puhlished  by  the  Ministry 
of  Labour  is  used.  Under  some  of  the  agreements  the  in- 
creases or  decreases  take  the  form  of  fiat-rate  money  amounts ; 
in  other  cases  the  change  in  wages  takes  the  form  of  a  per- 
centage addition  to  the  standard  or  basic  rates,  yielding  vary- 
ing money  amounts  for  different  classes  of  workmen.  Such 
agreements  are  in  effect  in  the  following  industries : 

Railway  service 

Wool  textile  industry    (Yorkshire) 

Enginemen,  firemen,  etc.,  in  the  wool  textile  industry 

Flannel  weaving   (Wales) 

Bleaching,  dyeing,  printing  and  finishing 

Machine  calico  printing 

Engravers  to  calico  printers 

Lambswool  spinning  (Leicester) 

Packers,  makers-up,  etc.  (Manchester) 

Carpet  manufacture 

Silk  manufacture  (Leek  and  Brighouse) 

Linen  manufacture  (Kirkcaldy) 

Asbestos  manufacture 

Silver  and  allied  trades  (London) 

Military  musical  instrument  making  (London) 

Bedstead  making 

Government  employees 

Police  service 

Municipal  service 

Wallpaper  manufacture 

Dyeing  and  cleaning 

Gypsum  mining   (Nottinghamshire  and  Derbyshire) 

Skip  and  basket  manufacture  (Yorkshire) 

According  to  the  official  cost  of  living  figure  pubHshed  in  the 
Labour  Gazette,  the  peak  of  commodity  prices  was  reached  in 
November,  1920,  when  the  increase  over  July,  1914  was  176%. 
After  that  time  it  steadily  declined,  and  April  30,  1921  stood  at 
128%  above  the  1914  figure. 

The  year  1920  was  one  of  unprecedented  advance  in  hourly 
wage  rates.  Owing  to  the  serious  decline  in  employment  in 
the  closing  months  of  the  year,  however,  actual  weekly  earn- 
ings in  many  industries  were  considerably  lower  at  the  end  of 
1920  than  at  the  beginning  of  the  year.^ 

On  the  other  hand,  reductions  in  wages  affecting  2,556,000 

workers  occurred  between  January  and  April,   1921.     These 

reductions  fall  into  the  following  four  categories : 

(1)  Reductions  in  wages  of  coal  miners  in  accordance  with  variations 
in  the  output  of  coal.    About  1,200,0(X)  miners  were  affected. 

'A  report  has  just  been  issued  by  the  British  Ministry  of  Labour  giving 
in  detail  an  account  of  the  wage  situation  in  that  country  as  of  December 
31,  1920,  for  various  occupational  groups  and  localities.  See  Great 
Britain.  Ministry  of  Labour.  "Standard  Time  Rates  of  Wages  and 
Hours  of  Labour,"   1921. 

8 


(2)  Reductions  brought  about  under  agreements  by  which  wages  vary 
in  accordance  with  the  Ministry  of  Labour  cost  of  living  index  figure. 
The  chief  reductions  under  this  head  were  in  the  railway  service,  wool 
manufacturing,  textile  dyeing  and  finishing,  and  hosiery  manufacture. 
About  900,000  workers  were  concerned  in  these  wage  adjustments. 

(3)  Reductions  made  in  accordance  with  sliding  scales  based  on  the 
selling  price  of  the  commodity.  The  chief  example  is  the  iron  and  steel 
industry,  in  which  reductions  took  place  varying  from  26J/2  to  69%  on 
standard  rates,  equivalent  to  from  lYi  to  21%  on  current  earnings,  about 
110,000  workers  being  affected. 

(4)  Agreements  resulting  from  negotiations  between  employers'  asso- 
ciations and  trade  unions,  covering  about  300,000  workers.' 

France 

The  following  comment  on  the  general  w^age  situation  in 
France  is  taken  from  a  report  of  the  United  States  Commercial 
Attache,  Paris,  February  4,  1921 : 

According  to  information  received  from  the  Ofiice  des  Statistiques 
Generales  de  la  France,  Ministry  of  Labor,  there  are  no  official  statistics 
available  as  to  the  salaries  paid  in  any  line  of  French  industry.  Most  of 
this  information  appears  in  trade  and  financial  journals.  According  to 
this  office,  when  the  eight-hour  day  went  into  effect  in  the  second  half 
of  1919,  the  employers  entered  into  agreements  or  contracts  with  the 
employees  as  to  the  rate  of  wages  to  be  paid,  and  it  is  not  believed  that 
the  salaries  stipulated  therein  have  changed  much  since  that  time.  How- 
ever, the  employers  generally  refuse  to  divulge  the  rates  of  salaries 
which  they  pay  their  workers.  Exact  figures,  according  to  Monsieur 
Laurent,  Secretary  of  the  Confederation  Generale  du  Travail,  are  almost 
impossible  to  obtain  since  the  industrial  crisis  set  in  some  three  months 
ago.  Voluntary  reductions  have  often  taken  place  where  employers  have 
threatened  to  close  down  their  factories.  Strikes  have  often  been  suc- 
cessful in  creating  wage  increases,  all  of  which  has  tended  to  create 
variations  in  the  prices  paid  in  the  same  industry.  The  Secretary  stated, 
however,  that  the  wages  paid  in  the  Provinces  are  approximately  20% 
less  than  those  paid  in  the  Paris  region. 

In  a  general  way,  the  tendency  in  French  industries  has  been 
to  maintain  without  modification  the  basic  pre-war  wage  rates, 
and  to  make  necessary  increases  in  the  form  of  bonuses  for  the 
high  cost  of  living,  premium  bonuses,  etc.- 

The  amount  of  such  bonuses  or  premiums  are  fixed,  along 
with  wages  and  other  conditions  of  labor,  by  collective  agree- 
ments between  employers  and  employees.  In  almost  all  cases, 
extra  provision,  in  the  form  of  a  family  allowance,  is  made  for 
married  workers  with  children. 

A  report  of  the  National  Industrial  Conference  Board,'^  pub- 

'Great  Britain.  Ministry  of  Labour.  Labour  Gazette,  May,  1921,  p. 
256. 

"United  States  Trade  Commissioner,  Paris,  November  6,  1920;  United 
States  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce.  Commerce  Reports, 
January  21,  1921. 

^Report  of  the  European  Commission  of  the  National  Industrial  Con- 
ference Board.  Problems  of  Labor  and  Industry  in  Great  Britain, 
France  and  Germany,  p.  30. 

9 


libhed  in  1919,  has  the  following  to  say  on  wage  payment  in 
France : 

In  l-Vancc  there  was  a  war  bonus  system  whereby  a  graduated  sum 
was  added  to  tlie  wage  on  account  of  the  high  cost  of  living  (Primes 
chert e  dc  vie).  Jt  was  so  arranged  that  a  workman  drawing  but  7.70 
francs  per  day,  the  minimum,  would  receive  3  francs  additional,  and  a 
woman  worker  drawing  6  francs  per  day,  the  minimum,  would  receive 
2  francs  additional.  As  the  wage  increased  in  both  cases  the  additional 
amount  decreased,  so  that  a  workman  drawing  17  francs  per  day  would 
get  nothing  additional,  and  a  woman  worker  drawing  14  francs  would 
get  nothing  additional.  The  basic  rates  were  set  by  Rate  Fixing  Com- 
mittees in  each  i)olitical  district. 

The  Committee  consisted  of  five  workers  (two  women)  and  five  em- 
ployers, nominated  l)y  the  respective  local  syudicats  and  appointed  by  the 
Minister  of  Munitions.  The  rates  set  by  these  committees  are  minimum 
rates ;  good  workmen  get  more  and  sometimes  much  more.  The  same 
rates  applied  to  these  same  clsses  of  labor  throughout  the  district. 

A  report  of  the  United  States  Trade  Commissioner  in  Paris, 

dated  November  6,  1920,  states : 

At  the  beginning  of  the  year  1920  the  increase  in  wages,  as  compared 
with  1913,  was  roughly  proportionate  to  the  increase  in  the  cost  of  living, 
that  is,  approximately  300%.  According  to  figures  emanating  from  a 
reliable  source,  the  increase  in  the  cost  of  living  from  1914  up  to  date 
(November  6,  1920)  is  approximately  373%.  Workers'  wages,  in  gen- 
eral, have  not  caught  up  with  the  increase  in  cost  of  living  since  the  be- 
ginning of  the  year. 

Figures  presented  by  the  French  coal  miners  indicate  that  on  No- 
vember 1,  1920,  the  necessary  weekly  expenditure  of  a  miner  and  his 
wife  had  increased  356%  from  before  the  war  and  that  wage  increases 
were  only  about  270%.  Since  no  ofiicial  cost-of-living  figures  for 
France  as  a  whole  have  been  published,  however,  it  is  impossible  to  state 
how  accurately  these  figures  represent  the  general  situation. 

In  a  number  of  French  provinces  special  commissions  have 
been  created  to  study  increases  in  the  cost  of  living  and  to 
suggest  methods  of  combatting  such  increases.  These  com- 
missions also  act  in  some  measure  as  arbitrators  in  connection 
with  demands  for  higher  wages. 

A  number  of  French  industries  have  endeavored  to  avoid 
labor  conflicts  by  instituting  committees  charged  with  maintain- 
ing an  equitable  balance  between  wages  and  the  cost  of  liv- 
ing. Both  workers  and  employers  are  represented  on  these 
committees.  Increases  or  decreases  in  the  cost  of  living  are 
reported  at  stated  periods,  usually  every  three  months,  and 
serve  as  a  basis  for  increases  or  decreases  in  salaries.' 

Funds  for  family  allowances  have  been  established  by  em- 
ployers in  several  districts  in  France,  e.  g.,  Lorient,  Grenoble, 
St.  Dizier,  Nantes,  Paris,  Lyons  and  Dijon.  On  September  1, 
1920  there  were  35  such  funds,  of  which   18  were  confined 

'France.  Ministry  of  Labor.  Bulletin  du  Ministere  du  Travail,  Janu- 
ary-March, 1921. 

10 


to  single  trades.  In  Grenoble  the  fund  belongs  to  the  Asso- 
ciation of  Employers  in  the  Metal  Trades,  and  at  St.  Dizier 
to  the  Metal  Trades  Association  of  Champagne.  Allowances 
from  these  funds  are  granted  for  children  under  14  years  of 
age  and  (except  at  Paris,  Grenoble  and  St.  Dizier)  for  invalid 
persons  over  16  years  of  age  and  orphans  under  14  years  of 
age.'  ^ 

Germany 

In  the  matter  of  salaries  and  wages  in  Germany  a  vast 
system  of  schedules  has  been  built  up  since  the  Revolution  and 
is  now  being  perfected  and  adjusted  to  existing  conditions. 
The  tendency  has  latterly  been  to  fix  the  schedules  centrally 
and  to  make  them  applicable  to  the  whole  country,  at  the  same 
time  giving  them  sufficient  elasticity  to  make  them  adaptable 
to  local  requirements.  This  is  done  by  means  of  so-called 
"frame"  schedules  in  which  only  the  principles  are  embodied, 
the  details  being  filled  in  locally.  The  schedules  have  also 
been  made  adaptable  to  the  constantly  changing  cost  of  living 
by  making  clauses  referring  to  wages  valid  for  only  short 
periods  of  time.  The  number  of  those  who  work  on  a  schedule 
basis  is  continually  increasing.- 

In  February,  1920,  the  first  official  general  wage  inquiry  took 
place.  As  yet,  however,  no  satisfactory  cost  of  living  figures 
for  Germany  as  a  whole  are  available.  According  to  Dr. 
Kuczynski,  of  Berlin-Schoneberg,  the  wages  of  the  average 
male  worker  in  Berlin  are  estimated  to  have  increased  about 
700%  from  1913-14  up  to  November,  1920,  while  the  cost  of 
providing  for  a  "minimum  of  existence"  has  increased  about 
1100%.^ 

AVERAGE  WEEKLY  EARNINGS  OF  A   MALE  ADULT  IN  BERLIN, 

1913  TO  1920 


Marks 

Dollars 

Period 

Par  of 
exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

August,  1913  to  July,  1914 

August,    1919    

February,  1920   

November,    1920    

35 
100 
170 
240 

8.34 

23.83 
40.51 
57.19 

.657 
1.878 
3.193 
4.507 

^Labour  Overseas,  October-December,  1920,  p.  48. 
"Germany.     Reichsarbeits-Ministerium.     Reichs-Arbeitsblatt,   Novem- 
ber IS,  1920.     p.  104*. 
^International  Labor  Office.    Daily  Intelligence,  January  11,  1921,  p.  5. 

11 


The  above  figures,  which  indicate  an  increase  of  approxi- 
mately 390%  to  February,  1920\  are  substantiated  by  the  1919 
annual  reports  of  the  government  factory  inspectors,  which 
show  that  by  the  end  of  that  year  an  average  increase  of  300 
to  450%  over  pre-war  wages  had  taken  place,  and  that  wage 
increases  were  highest  in  the  great  industrial  centers,  especially 
Berlin.  This  report  further  states  that  the  wages  of  women 
were  generally  about  25%  to  35%  lower  than  those  of  men, 
and  that  the  rise  in  wages  corresponded  approximately  to  the 
general  rise  in  food  prices,  but  was  far  below  the  rise  in  prices 
of  clothing  and  boot  and  shoes.^ 

There  has  been,  in  general,  a  tendency  to  approximation  be- 
tween the  wages  of  skilled  and  of  unskilled  workers.  It  is 
stated  that  because  of  this  situation  a  dearth  of  apprentices 
exists.  Unskilled  municipal  workers  at  Berlin  and  Leipzig 
received  about  90%  of  the  rate  for  skilled  workers  in  1920; 
the  former  must  have  a  subsistence  wage,  and  employers  could 
afford  to  pay  but  little  more  to  the  latter.^  In  Altona  the  dif- 
ference between  the  weekly  wages  of  the  most  highly  qualified 
engineer  and  that  of  the  lowest  laborer  at  the  end  of  1920 
was  only  13.60  marks  (par,  $3.24;  exchange  1920-21,  $.255).* 

The  first  official  general  wage  investigation  was  begun  by 
the  Federal  Statistical  Office  in  February,  1920.  It  was  pro- 
posed to  bring  the  entire  field,  of  industry  within  the  scope 
of  these  inquiries,  and  to  make  them  a  permanent  feature  of 
the  work  of  that  office. 

The  Monthly  Labor  Review  of  the  United  States  Depart- 
ment of  Labor,  in  publishing  a  compilation  of  wage  awards  in 
Germany  in  1919,  states : 

Collective  Bargaining  is  becoming  more  and  more  popular  among  em- 
ployers and  workers  in  Germany,  especially  in  the  large  industries.  .  .  . 
Most  of  the  agreements  concluded  are  for  very  short  terms,  or  if  for  a 
longer  term,  contain  a  clause  permitting  a  revision  of  the  w^age  rates  in 
case  of  a  further  rise  in  the  cost  of  living.  ...  A  majority  of  the 
agreements  indicate  a  tendency  in  favor  of  resumption  and  continuation 
of  piecework.  In  agreements  providing  for  piecework,  pieceworkers  are 
as  a  rule  guaranteed  the  minimum  time  rates,  and  in  some  instances  a 
certain  percentage  above  the  minimum  time  rates. 

^Labour  Overseas,  October-December,   1920,  p.  51. 
"^Sosiale  Praxis,  November  10,  1920.    Quoted  in  Labour  Overseas,  Oc- 
tober-December, 1920,  p.  51. 
^Labour  Overseas,  April-June,  1920,  p.  14. 
*Idem.,  October-December,  1920,  p.  51. 

12 


Sosiale  Praxis  (September  15,  1920)  states  that  employers 
are  becoming  more  favorable  to  a  wage  scale  that  varies 
with  the  cost  of  living.  Practical  experience  shows,  how- 
ever, that  in  almost  all  cases  where  a  sliding  scale  has  been 
introduced,  a  fall  in  index  numbers  of  prices  has  not  led  to 
a  proportional  decrease  in  wages.  In  Alsace,  the  employees 
of  German  newspapers  appealed  in  July,  1920,  to  the  Concilia- 
tion Committee  against  the  employers,  who  wished  to  reduce 
salaries  on  account  of  a  fall  of  11  points  in  the  index  number. 
The  committee  upheld  the  appeal  because  of  the  advance  in 
prices  of  items  not  included  in  the  index  number,  (fares,  taxes, 
insurance  contributions,  etc.)  At  Kiel,  in  June,  1920,  a  rise 
in  bonus  of  10  per  cent,  was  given  on  the  strength  of  a  pro- 
visional index  figure.  The  final  figure  showed  an  increase 
of  only  2  per  cent.,  but  the  workers  refused  to  give  up 
the  increased  bonus.  In  July,  the  Arbitration  Award  decreed 
the  continuance  of  the  June  increase,  although  the  index  figure 
showed  a  decline.  In  August,  the  Trades  Council,  by  means  of 
a  transport  workers'  strike,  compelled  the  increase  to  be  paid 
for  August.     The  same  thing  happened  at  Breslau.^ 

Provisions  for  holidays,  and  family  allowances  for  wife  and 
children  to  married  men,  are  features  of  most  collective  agree- 
ments.^ 


^Idem.,  p.  47. 

"Labour  Overseas,  July-September,  1920,  p.  12. 


13 


II 

BUILDING  TRADES 
Great  Britain 

The  wage  figures  given  in  this  section  for  the  British  build- 
ing trades  are  the  official  average  figures  for  the  end  of 
1920. 

In  the  building  trades  in  Great  Britain  the  system  of  area 
grading,  whereby  uniform  rates  of  wages  were  agreed  upon 
for  towns  of  certain  grades  in  various  districts,  was  adopted 
in  some  districts  in  1919,  and  by  the  end  of  1920  was  in 
operation  in  practically  all  districts  outside  London.  The  ar- 
rangements made  under  this  system  during  1920  resulted  in 
the  establishment  of  uniform  rates  of  wages  for  skilled  men 
in  the  larger  towns  for  the  whole  of  the  Northern  Counties, 
Yorkshire,  Lancashire,  the  Midlands,  the  Southwestern  Coun- 
ties, South  Wales,  and  Scotland,  while  lower  uniform  rates 
were  made  applicable  to  the  larger  tow^ns  in  the  remaining 
districts.' 

The  increases  over  1914  wages  in  the  building  trades  vary 
considerably  in  different  districts.  Increases  in  hourly  rates 
include  advances  granted  in  many  cases  concurrently  with  re- 
ductions in  weekly  hours  of  labor  to  maintain  weekly  wages  at 
the  former  level.  For  the  principal  classes  of  workmen  in 
towns  of  over  100,000  population,  the  average  percentage  in- 
creases in  hourly  and  weekly  rates  up  to  the  end  of  1920  were 
as  shown  in  the  following  table : 

Percentage  increase 

over  1914  rates 

Hourly  Weekly 

Bricklayers    178  148 

Masons  181  154 

Carpenters  and  joiners 182  152 

Plumbers  189  156 

Plasterers    182  151 

Painters   208  174 

Laborers    265  224 

^Labour  Gasette,  January,  1921,  p.  4. 

14 


If  the  increases  shown  above  are  combined  according  to 
the  relative  numbers  of  men  employed  in  the  different  oc- 
cupations, the  resulting  general  average  increase  in  hourly 
rates  was  about  225%,  and  in  weekly  wages  (taking  into 
account  the  effect  of  the  reductions  in  working  time)  about 
190%.  There  was  little  difference  in  the  amount  of  increase 
for  dift'erent  classes  of  men,  but  owing  to  the  dift'erence  in 
their  pre-war  rates,  the  percentages  of  increase  are  much 
greater  for  laborers  than  for  skilled  men,  the  average  increase 
in  weekly  wages  being  equivalent  to  224%  for  laborers,  com- 
pared with  174%  for  painters,  and  with  148%  to  156%  for 
other  classes  of  skilled  labor. ^ 

The  unweighted  averages  of  hourly  rates  of  wages  in  towns 
over  100,000,  for  these  same  occupations  on  December  31,  1920, 
were  as  follows : 

AVERAGE    HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    FOR    VARIOUS    OCCUPATIONS    IN 
BUILDING  TRADES,  DECEMBER  31,  1920 


Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 

exchange 

Exchang:e 
1920-21 

Bricklayers 

27.5 
27.5 
27.4 
27.8 
27.5 
27.1 
23.8 

.558 
.558 
.556 
.564 
.558 
.550 
.483 

.430 

Alasons    

.430 

Carpenters  and  joiners 

Plumbers    

.428 
.434 

Plasterers   

.430 

Painters     

Laborers  

.424 

.in 

No  decreases  in  wage  rates  in  these  occupations  had  been  re- 
ported up  to  May,  1921. 

For  men  employed  on  civil  engineering  construction  work, 
two  decreases  in  wage  rates  were  reported  during  April,  1921, 
as  the  result  of  an  agreement  concluded  by  the  Civil  Engi- 
neering Construction  Conciliation  Board  for  Great  Britain. 
Current  hourly  rates  for  navvies  and  laborers  were  set  at  1 
shilling.  7  pence  to  1  shilling.  9  pence  (par,  $.3852  to  $.4258; 
exchange,  1920-21,  $.2965  to  $.3277),  according  to  the  dis- 
trict. Classes  other  than  navvies  and  laborers  were  to  receive 
the  same  rate  as  the  latter,  plus  an  amount  fixed  by  schedule 
for  each  occupation,  the  excess  usually  varying  from  1  penny 

'Labour  Gazette,  May,  1921,  p.  257. 

15 


to  4  pnuc   (par,  -$.02  lo  $.082;  exchange,   1920-21,  $.015  to 
$.U() )   per  liour.' 

France 

No  {,'cncial  ot'licial  lij;urcs  are  av;iilable  for  wages  in  the 
French  building  trades,  but  from  the  figures  from  various 
sources  i)resented  in  this  section  it  ai)i)ears  that  in  general,  in 
1920.  hourly  wage  rates  of  skilled  workers  in  the  building 
trades  ranged  from  2.25  to  3  francs  (par,  $.434  to  $.579;  ex- 
change 1920-21,  $.156  to  $.208),  except  in  the  very  small 
towns. 

According  to  figures  given  in  a  report  on  wages  in  French 
industries  by  the  United  States  Trade  Commissioner  in  Paris, 
dated  November  6,  1920,  hourly  wages  in  1920  in  the  building 
trades  had  increased  over  1913  wages,  from  175%  in  the  case 
of  stone  cutters  and  bricklayers  to  275%  in  the  case  of  handy 
men  (construction  work).  Hourly  wage  rates  in  1920  from 
this  report  are  given  below. - 


HOURLY  V^AGE  RATES  IN  SPECIFIED  OCCUPATIONS  IN  THE  BUILD- 
ING TRADES,   1920 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Percentage 

increase 
over  1913 


Stone  cutters   

Stone  setters    

Masons    

Masons'   apprentices    . . 

Bricklayers    

Bricklayers'  apprentices 
Structural  iron  workers. 

Handy  men 

Night  watchmen   


2.75 

2.75 
2.75 
2.15 
2.75 
2.15 
2.75 
2.25 
12.00a 


.531 
.531 
.531 
.415 
.531 
.415 
.531 
.434 
2.316 


.191 
.191 
.191 
.149 
.191 
.149 
.191 
.156 
.832 


175 
175 
189 
207 
175 
207 
201 
275 
200 


"Per  night. 

This  report  continues  : 

The  wages  for  plumbers,  which  have  been  cflfective  since  April,  1920, 
are  2.75  francs  (par,  $0.53;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.191)  per  hour,  and  2 
francs  (par,  $0.39;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.139)  for  plumbers'  apprentices 
over  18  years  of  age.  Painters  are  paid  2.50  francs  (par,  $0.48;  ex- 
change, 1920-21,  $.173)  per  hour,  plus  2  francs  (par,  $0.39;  exchange, 
1920-21,  $.139)  a  day  to  cover  the  increase  in  cost  of  living. 

The  minimum  hourly  rate  of  wages  in  Paris,   for  masons, 

bricklayers,  navvies,  structural  iron  workers  and  painters,  to 

ILabour  Gazette,  May,  1921,  p.  257. 

^United  States.  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce.  Com- 
merce Reports,  January  21,  1921. 

16 


be  effective  from  October  1,  1920  was  3  francs  (par,  $.579; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.208j.  According  to  the  source  of  this  in- 
formation, the  percentage  of  increase  of  the  1920  over  1913 
wages  was  215%  in  the  case  of  journeymen  masons  and  brick- 
layers, and  275%  in  the  case  of  navvies,  structural  iron  workers 
and  painters.  In  addition  to  the  base  rate,  provision  was  made 
for  a  monthly  allowance  of  20  francs  (par,  $3.86;  exchange 
1920-21,  $1,386)  for  each  child  less  than  14  years  of  age  to 
workers  who  were  heads  of  families,  or  30  francs  (par,  $5.79; 
exchange  1920-21,  $2.08)  if  there  were  three  children  or  more. 
These,  of  course,  were  minimum  rates ;  the  actual  average 
daily  wages  of  ordinary  building  workers  were  30  francs  (par, 
$5.79;  exchange  1920-21,  $2.08)  or  more,  and  skilled  workers 
received  as  high  as  50  francs  (par,  $9.65;  exchange  1920-21, 
$3,465)  per  day.^ 

A  report  in  L' Information  Socialc,  May  22,  1921,  states  that, 
dating  from  June  15,  hourly  wages  of  masons,  helpers,  and 
laborers  in  Lyon,  which  had  been  3.50,  3.00  and  2.25  francs 
(par,  $.675,  $.579,  $.434;  exchange  1920-21,  $.243,  $.208, 
$.156),  would  be  reduced  to  3.00,  2.25  and  2.00  francs  (par, 
$.579,  $.434,  $.390;  exchange  1920-21,  $.208,  $.156,  $.139), 
respectively. 

In  the  series  of  eighteen  collective  agreements,  concluded 
in  various  localities,  large  and  small,  between  January  and 
June,  1920,  and  reported  to  the  Ministry  of  Labor,  hourly 
wage  rates  for  various  occupations  in  the  building  trades  were 
fixed  as  follows  :- 

'Le  Musee  Social.  Alemoires  et  Documents,  January  1,  1921,  pp.  12 
and  33. 

"France.  Bulletin  dii  Miiiistcre  du  Travail,  August-October,  1920,  p. 
423-433. 


17 


HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    IN    THE    BUILDING    TRADES    IN    SPECIFIED 

DISTRICTS   FIXED   BY    COLLECTIVE   AGREEMENT, 

JANUARY  TO  JUNE,   1920 


=^^ 

Francs 

Dollars 

Occupation 

Par  of 
Kxchang 

e 

Exchange 

1920-21 

General  Building 

1.871/' 

1.70 
1.60 
1.80 
1.75 

2.00 
1.75 
1.80 

to  3.00 
2.25 
'•   2.25 
"   2.25 
•'    2.00 
"    1.80 

2.75 
"   3.00 
"   2.00 
"    1.90 

1.50 

.362  to 

.328   " 
.309   " 
.347    " 
.338    " 

.386   " 
.338   " 
.347    " 

.579 
.434 
.434 
.434 
.386 
.347 

.531 
.579 
.386 
.367 
.290 

.130  to 

.118    " 
.111     " 

.125    " 
.121    " 

.139   " 
.121    " 

.125    " 

.208 

.156 

.156 

.156 

.139 

.125 

Masons 

.191 

St.  fitienne   

Thouars      

.208 
.139 

Pont-Audcmer     

Draguignan"   

.132 
.104 

Plasterers 
Rouen      

2.75 
2.75 

.531 
.531 

.191 

St.  fitienne   

.191 

Painters 

St.  fitienne  

2.75 

.531 

.191 

Roofers 

Pont-Audemer'    

Fecamp 

St.  fitienne  

2.00 
1.90 
2.25 

.386 
.367 
.434 

.139 
.132 
.156 

Excavators 

Rouen  

Hennebont     

1.25 

2.00 
"    1.40 

.241    " 

.386 
.270 

.087    " 

.139 

.097 

Laborers 
Rouen   

1.75 
2.25 

.338 
.434 

.121 

Plumbers 

St.  fitienne  

.156 

'Minimum  rates. 

-Hourly  rates  computed   from  daily  rates  on  basis  of  8-hour  day. 


Germany 

The  following  tabulation  of  the  official  survey  of  wages 
in  the  German  building  trades  in  February,  1920,  together 
with  the  other  figures  presented,  furnish  a  very  good  basis  for 
determining  the  wages  at  the  end  of  1920.  The  statement  in 
the  British  official  publication  mentioned  below  that  wages 
had  increased  50%  since  the  time  of  the  official  survey  is 
borne  out  by  the  figures  from  other  sources  presented  in  this 
section. 


18 


HOURLY  WAGE  RATES  AND  AVERAGE  MONTHLY  EARNINGS  IN  THE 
GERMAN  BUILDING  TRADES,  FEBRUARY,   1920 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


HOURLY  RATES 


Germany  as  a  whole 


Unskilled  .. 

1.25  to 

4.39 

.298  to 

1.045 

.023  to 

.082 

Bricklayers 
and  masons. 

1.60   " 

4.50 

.381    " 

1.071 

.030   " 

.085 

Carpenters  . 

1.60   " 

4.38 

.381    " 

1.042 

.030    " 

.082 

Toztms  zmth  population  of 

over  200,000 

Unskilled  .. 

2.60    ' 

4.08  1       .619   " 

.971 

.049   " 

.077 

Bricklayers 
and  masons. 

3.24   • 

'       4.22 

.771    " 

1.004 

.061    " 

.079 

Carpenters  . 

2.83    ' 

'       4.34 

.674   •' 

1.033 

.053    " 

.082 

AVERAGE   MONTHLY   EARNINGS 
Germany  as  a  whole 


Unskilled     . 

226 

"    700 

53.79 

"  166.60 

4.24 

"    13.15 

Bricklayers 
and  masons. 

285 

"  827 

67.83 

"  196.83 

5.35 

"   15.53 

Carpenters  . 

295 

"   800 

70.21 

"  190.64 

5.54 

"    15.02 

Towns  with  population 

of  over  ; 

200,000 

Unskilled  .. 

478 

"    734 

1 113.76 

"  174.69 

8.98 

"    13.78 

Bricklayers 
and   masons. 

529 

"    758 

125.90 

"  180.40 

9.93 

"    14.24 

Carpenters   . 

501 

"   829 

1  119.24 

"  197.30 

9.41 

"    15.57 

The  ofificial  inquiry  by  the  German  Government  in  February, 
1920,  into  the  wages  paid  in  the  building  trades  covered  1,002 
concerns,  in  which  53,975  manual  workers  and  3,812  non- 
manual  workers  were  employed — about  9%  of  the  total  con- 
cerns on  the  official  list  of  1919,  and  about  30%  of  all  persons 
employed.  The  preceding  table  shows  the  main  results  of 
the  inquiry,  giving  the  lowest  and  highest  wage  figures  in  the 
localities  covered.  According  to  Labour  Overseas,  a  British  of- 
ficial publication,  however,  wages  had  increased  over  these 
figures  by  about  50%  up  to  the  end  of  1920.' 

^Labour  Overseas,  October-December,  1920,  p.  49. 

19 


The  wages  agreement  in  the  building  trades  for  Germany 
as  a  whole  provides  that  negotiations  about  wages  shall  be  by 
districts,  l-'ormerly,  when  the  ])arties  could  not  come  to  an 
agreement,  special  courts  were  formed,  in  which  representa- 
tives of  the  workers  and  employers'  associations  came  together, 
with  a  representative  from  a  main  office  to  conduct  negotia- 
tions. In  the  place  of  these  special  courts  district  wage  of- 
ficers have  now  been  established.  These  are  to  meet  every  two 
months,  and  consist  of  three  persons — one  chosen  by  the  em- 
jjloyers,  one  by  the  employees,  and  one  re]:)resenting  both  em- 
ployers and  employees.  The  district  wage  office  shall  attempt 
to  bring  about  an  agreement,  and  failing  that,  shall  make  a 
decision.^ 

The  following  wage  rates  in  the  building  trades  fixed  by 
collective  agreement,  in  efifect  between  May,  1920,  and  January, 
1921,  zveve  reported  in  the  Rciclis-Arbcitsblatt.  The  rates 
varv  between  localities.' 


HOURLY   WAGE  RATES  IN   VARIOUS  OCCUPATIONS   IN   THE   BUILD- 
ING TRADES  FIXED  BY  COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT  BETWEEN 
MAY,    1920,  AND  JANUARY,    1921 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Masons    (11    districts) 

Carpenters    (11    districts).. 

Cement  finishers  (11  dis- 
tricts     

Cement  workers  (9  dis- 
tricts     

Plasterers    (5  districts).... 

Underground  workers  (6 
districts)    

Building  helpers  (11  dis- 
tricts     

Common  labor  (4  districts) 


4.30  to  6.50 
4.30   "   6.50 

4.30   "   6.50 


1.023  to  1.547 
1.023    "  1.547 

1.023   "  1.547 


4.10 

5.30 


6.25 
6.50 


.976 
1.261 


.081  to  .122 
.081    "    .122 

.081 


1.488;  .077 
1.5471  .099 


4.10   "   5.30 


.976   "  1.261 


4.10 
4.30 


6.05 
5.30 


.976 
1.023 


1.440 
1.261 


.077 

.077 
.081 


.122 

.117 

.122 

.099 

.114 
.099 


According  to  the  publication,  Labour  Overseas,  hourly  wages 
in  the  building  trades  in  the  zone  occupied  by  British  troops 
in  Germany  (Cologne  district)  in  August,  1920,  were  as 
follows : 

'Germany.     Reichs-Arbeitsblatt,  March   15.  1921,  p.  420*. 
'November  1,  1920  to  March  31,  1921. 


20 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled  labor  

6.50 
6.03 
1.68  to  4.94 

1.547 
1.435 
.400  to  1.176 

122 

Unskilled  labor    

Youths  

.113 

.032  to  .093 

An  eight-hour  day  was  reported,  with  20%  extra  for  over- 
time on  week  days  and  100%  on  Sundays  and  holidays.  Eight 
pfennigs  per  hour  (par,  $.019;  exchange  1920-21,  $.0015)  ad- 
ditional was  allowed  to  men  living  at  a  distance.^ 

This  same  publication,  in  December,  1920,  reported  that 
carpenters  in  the  Cologne  area  received  an  increase  which 
brought  their  average  hourly  wage  up  to  6.90  marks  (par, 
$1,642;  exchange  1920-21,  $.130),  and  the  minimum  up  to 
6.50  marks  (par,  $1,547;  exchange  1920-21,  $.122).  By  a 
decision  of  the  Arbitration  Court,  masons  and  bricklayers 
at  the  same  time  obtained  an  increase  of  12%,  making  hourly 
rates  7.28  marks  (par,  $1,733;  exchange  1920-21,  $.137)  for 
skilled  men  and  7.06  marks  (par,  $1,680;  exchange  1920-21, 
^.33)  for  assistants. - 

During  the  first  week  in  October,  1920  the  tile  workers  of 
Berlin  went  on  strike  for  a  time-rate  of  8  marks  (par,  $1,904; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.150)  an  hour  and  an  increase  of  600%  on 
1914  piece-rates.  Both  parties  ultimately  accepted  the  de- 
cision of  a  conciliation  committee,  which  granted  an  hourly 
rate  of  7.75  marks  (par,  $1,845;  exchange  1920-21,  $.146); 
and  a  575%  increment  on  the  1914  piece-rates.^ 

A  strike  of  Berlin  workers  in  subterranean  construction  be- 
gan on  June  28,  1920,  the  men  demanding  to  be  paid  the  same 
wages  as  other  workers  in  the  building  trades.  The  demand 
was  granted  and  work  was  resumed  on  August  11,  wages 
being  raised  (as  from  July  1)  to  6.80  marks  (par,  $1,618; 
exchange  1920-21.  $.128)  per  hour.^ 

On  August  30,  1600  Berlin  pipe  layers  struck  for  an  increase 
in  wages.  Negotiations  for  a  new  collective  agreement  had 
been  in  progress  since  May.  On  September  16  the  award  of 
a  Conciliation  Committee  appointed  by  the  Ministry  of  La- 

'Labour  Oz'crscas,  July-September,  1920,  p.  135. 
'Idem.,  October-December,  1920,  p.  50. 
^Idem.,  October-December,  1920,  p.  86. 
'Idem.,  July-September,  1920,  p.  85. 

21 


bour  was  accepted.  The  award  fixed  the  hourly  rate,  in- 
clusive of  cost  of  living  bonus,  from  September  1,  1920  to 
March  31,  1921,  as  follows : 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Pipe  layers 
Improvers 
Learners    . 
Helpers    . . 


6.25 
6.05 
5.95 
5.90 


1.488 
1.440 
1.416 
1.404 


.117 
,114 
.112 
.111 


An  unauthorized  strike  among  Berlin  painters  lasted  from 
July  19  to  29,  1920,  their  demand  being  that  wages  should 
be  raised  from  5.50  to  6.80  marks  (par,  $1,309  to  $1,618;  ex- 
change 1920-21,  $.103  to  $.128)  per  hour  to  correspond  with 
those  of  masons.  The  dispute  was  referred  to  the  Central 
Wages  Board,  which  fixed  an  increase  of  .4  marks  (par,  $.095 ; 
exchange  1920-21.  $.0075),  as  from  August  9,  1920.' 

As  a  matter  of  interest  in  this  connection,  it  is  worth  noting 
that  an  analysis  of  the  expense  factors  in  construction  in  Ger- 
many showed  that  for  a  simple  country  house  in  East  Prussia 
the  costs  were  distributed  as  follows :° 

Wages    55.09% 

Raw  Material    12.22% 

Administrative   Costs    32.69% 

Total    100.00% 

^Labour  Overseas,  July-September,  1920,  p.  46. 
-Germany.    Reichs-Arbeitsblatt,  April  30,  1921,  p.  542.* 


22 


Ill 

MINING 

Great  Britain 

Coal  Mining 

In  the  coal  mining  industry  in  Great  Britain,  the  general 
increase  in  wages  between  July,  1914  and  the  end  of  1920 
took  the  form,  partly  of  percentage  increases  on  base  rates, 
varying  in  different  coal  tields  from  28%  to  47%  over  pre- 
war rates,  partly  of  an  increase  of  20%  on  earnings  (ex- 
clusive of  these  percentage  advances),  and  partly  of  flat-rate 
additions.  Increases  in  full-time  wages  represented  varying 
percentages  ranging  from  less  than  150%  in  the  case  of 
some  of  the  higher-paid  workmen,  up  to  considerably  over 
200%  in  the  case  of  some  of  the  lower-paid  grades.  The 
average  increase  is  estimated  to  be  about  185%  to  190%.  In 
January,  1921  there  were  two  further  changes  (an  increase 
followed  by  a  decrease),  which  resulted  in  a  net  decrease  below 
the  level  at  the  end  of  1920.' 

A  return  issued  by  the  Mines  Department  gives  statistics 
relating  to  the  coal  mining  industry  in  February,  1921.  In  a 
statement  of  average  cost  of  production,  wages  were  given  at 
29  shillings,  3%  pence  per  ton  (par,  $7.14;  exchange  1920-21, 
$5,498),  as  contrasted  with  total  cost  per  ton  of  38  shillings, 
ny2  pence  (par,  $9.49;  exchange  1920-21,  $7,307).  The 
average  monthly  earnings  per  person  employed  were  18  pounds 
4  shillings,  8  pence  (par,  $88.73;  exchange  1920-21,  $68.32), 
the  figures  varying,  according  to  the  district,  from  16  pounds, 
6  shillings,  3  pence  (par,  $79.38;  exchange  1920-21,  $61.12)  in 
Northumberland,  to  20  pounds,  17  shillings  (par,  $101.47;  ex- 
change 1920-21,  $78.13)  in  Scotland.  In  seven  "districts"  out 
of  the  ten  into  which  the  country  is  divided  for  the  purposes 
of  these  statistics,  the  average  monthly  earnings  were  over 
17  pounds,  10  shiUings  (par,  $85.16;  exchange  1920-21,  $65.57), 

'Great  Britain.  Ministry  of  Labour.  Labour  Gazette,  February,  1921, 
pp.  62,  3. 

23 


but  under  19  pouiul.s  (par,  $92.46 ;  exchange  1920-21,  $71.19). 
The  corresponding  figures  for  January  1921,  and  for  specified 
periods  in  1920  are  as  follows:' 

AVERAGE  MONTHLY  EARNING.S  OF   WORKERS  IN   COAL  MINES 
1920  AND   1921 


Pounds, 

Shillings 
and   I'eiice 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
192U-21 

April-June,    1920    

October-December,   1920 

January,   1921    

February,  1921   

18    6  7     !         89.20 

17  19  4     !         87.43 
22     1  9     j        107.49 

18  4  8     i         88.73 

68.68 

67.30 
82.77 
68.32 

Other  Mining  and  Quarrying 

For  certain  of  the  groups  of  miners  (other  than  coal 
miners)  and  quarrymen,  percentage  increases  over  pre-war 
w^ages,  up  to  the  end  of  1920  seem  to  have  been  greater  than 
that  quoted  above  for  coal  miners,  though  the  actual  increase 
in  money  wages  may  not  have  been  so  great.  The  increases 
for  other  groups  of  miners  and  quarriers,  however,  were  less 
than  those  granted  the  coal  miners. 

The  following  data  on  wage  rates  for  other  mining  groups 
have  been  taken  from  the  detailed  tables  of  wage  changes  pub- 

WAGE    RATES    IN    MINING     (OTHER    THAN    COAL    MINING)     AND 
QUARRYING  INDUSTRIES  IN  SPECIFIED  DISTRICTS,  MARCH,  1921 


'Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Iron  Mining 

Cumberland  (rate  per  shift) 

Furness  district   (rate  per  day)  .... 
Gypsum  Mining   (rate  per  week) 
Gotham  and  Thrumpton 

Miners,  Mill-hands,  Stone  dressers 
Cropwell,  Bishop 
Dayworkers    

23 
16 

61 

57 

18 
18 
17 
18 
17 
17 

10 
6 

7Vs 
9 

\\V2 
\V2 
4/2 
5/2 
9/2 

3J^ 

5.80 
4.02 

14.99 
16.06 

4.61 
4.41 
4.23 
4.49 
4.33 
4.21 

4.47 

3.10 

11.54 
12  Zl 

Limestone  Quarrying  (rate  per  shift) 
W.  Cumberland 

Knobblers     

Haulage   enginemen    

Blacksmiths  and  joiners    

3.55 
3.40 
3  26 

Ist  class  day-borers    

3  46 

1st  class  day-laborers    

3  Z2) 

Ruddmen    

3.24 

""Labour  Gazette,  April,  1921,  p.  177. 

24 


lished  in  the  Labour  Gazette.  It  will  be  noted  that  the  wage 
rates  are  not  on  the  same  time  basis,  and  that  they  vary  con- 
siderably in  the  different  districts.  In  the  preceding  table  all 
rates  are  decreases  under  those  in  effect  at  the  end  of  1920. 

The  following  hourly  wage  rates  for  other  groups  of  miners 
and  quarriers  in  effect  at  the  end  of  1920  are  reported  in  the 
Labour  Gazette  of  December,  1920.  Up  to  April,  1921  no  de- 
creases had  been  reported  for  these  groups. 

HOURLY  WAGE  RATES  IN  MINING    (OTHER  THAN   COAL  MINING) 

AND  QUARRYING  INDUSTRIES  IN  SPECIFIED  LOCALITIES, 

DECEMBER,   1920 


Shillings 
and   Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Freestone,  Gritstone  and 
Sandstone  Quarrying, 
West   Lancashire 

Masons    

Rock  getters 

Cutters     and     machine 

men    

Skilled  laborers    

Unskilled    laborers    . . . 
Freestone    Quarry,    North- 
umberland   and    Durham 

Quarrymen    

Laborers     

Granite  Quarrying,  Corn- 
wall 

Masons    

Laborers  

Roadstone  Quarrying , 
Southwest     of     England 

Laborers^    

Paving       Cutters^       South 
Wales    and    Monmouth- 
shire   


2  0 

1  11 

1  10 

1  8 

1  7 


2      2 
1      8 


1     10^ 
1      4 


1      3 


.487 
.466 

.446 
.406 
.385 


.527 
.406 


.456 
.324 


.345 
.548 


.375 
.359 

.343 
.313 
.296 


.406 
.313 


.351 
.249 


.266 
.422 


^Minimum  rates. 
'Timeworkers. 

France 

Coal  Mining 

In  the  Bulletin  of  the  Ministry  of  Labor  of  France  are  pub- 
lished figures  showing  that  up  to  January  1,  1920  the  wages 
of  coal  miners  had  increased  182%  as  compared  with  wages  in 
1914.  Wages  of  all  underground  workers  had  increased  ap- 
proximately 192%,  and  the  increase  for  surface  workers  was 
250%.    The  average  daily  wage  of  underground  workers  on 

25 


January  1.  1^20  was  17.17  francs  (par.  $3,314;  exchange 
1920-2i,  $1.19).' 

Ill  the  wage  negotiations  hetween  mine  workers  and  opera- 
tors in  the  Midlands  at  the  end  of  1920,  the  miners  submitted 
to  thi'  Ministry  of  Lal)or  an  estimate  of  the  necessary  weekly 
expnuhturc  of  a  niiiu'r  and  his  wife  for  the  ])eriod  before  the 
war  and  as  of  November  1.  1920.  The  respective  sums  were 
34.30  francs  and  156.30  francs  (par,  $6.62  and  $30.17;  ex- 
change 1920-21,  $2.38  and  $10,832).  an  increase  of  356%.  To 
meet  the  increase  of  122  francs  a  week,  wages  would  have  had 
to  be  advanced  i)y  20  francs  a  day  ;  the  advances  actually  re- 
ceived amounted  to  less  than  15  francs  a  day,  approximately 
270%  1 

The  latest  available  ligures  for  wages  of  workers  in  French 
coal  mines  are  for  the  summer  of  1920.  Since,  in  the  wage 
negotiations  at  the  end  of  1920,  between  the  mine  workers 
and  mine  owners  in  the  north  of  France,  it  was  generally 
agreed  that  wage  rates  should  remain  unaltered,  it  is  prob- 
able that  the  figures  given  below  are  fairly  representative  of 
the  situation  at  the  end  of  the  year.  In  June,  1920  the  average 
dailv  wages  of  mine  workers  in  18  mines  in  various  parts  of 
France  were  as  follows  :- 

AVERAGE  DAILY  WAGES  OF  FRENCH   MINE  WORKERS,  JUNE,    1920 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Miners  and  timbermen.. 

Miners'  helpers   

Laborers    in    and    about 

mines    

Masons,         blacksmiths, 

carpenters,  machinists. 


19  to  25 
17    "   23 


16 
17 


20 
21 


3.667  to  4.825 
3.281  "   4.439 

3.088  "    3.860 

3.281  "   4.053 


1.317  to  1.733 
1.178   "    1.594 

1.109   "    1.386 

1.178   "   1.485 


An  important  feature  in  connection  with  wage  disputes  in 
the  coal  mines  in  France  is  the  fact  that  the  principle  of  wage 
adjustments  according  to  regions  is  clearly  recognized  by  em- 
ployers and  workers.^ 

In  the  collective  agreements  for  16  localities  reported  for 

^Labour  Overseas,  November-December,  1920,  p.  47. 

-Bulletin  du  Minisicre  du  rnivail  May-July,  1920,  pp.  216,  217. 

"Report  of  United  States  Trade  Commissioner,  Paris,  November  6, 
1920;  United  States.  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce. 
Commerce  Reports,  January  21,  1921. 


26 


the  first  eight  montlis  of  1920  in  the  Builletin  of  the  Ministry 
of  Labor,  the  lowest  wage  reported  for  underground  workers, 
at  Laval,  was  1075  francs  (par,  $2,075;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.745)  per  day.  It  was  accompanied  by  a  monthly  allowance 
of  3  francs  (par,  $.579;  exchange  1920-21,  $.208)  for  each 
child  under  13  years  of  age.  The  highest  wage  reported  for 
underground  workers,  24.50  francs  (par,  $4,729;  exchange 
1920-21,  $1,698)  per  day,  with  an  allowance  of  one  franc  (par, 
$.193;  exchange  1920-21,  $.069)  per  day  for  each  child  under 
13  years  of  age,  was  for  the  provinces  of  Nord  and 
Pas-de-Calais.  The  lowest  daily  wage  reported  for  surface 
workers,  7.60  francs  (par,  $1,467;  exchange  1920-21,  $.527) 
was  in  La  Motte-d'Aveillans,  the  highest  in  Laval,  18.50  francs 
(par,  $3,571;  exchange  1920-21,  $1,282),  plus  a  monthly  al- 
lowance of  3  francs  (par,  $.579;  exchange  1920-21,  $.208) 
for  each  child  under  13  years  of  age.  The  very  low  wages  were 
probably  for  boys  and  women. 

The  following  reports  of  daily  wages  of  French  mine 
workers  in  three  districts  appear  in  the  July-September,  1920 
number  of  Labour  Overseas,  a  British  official  publication:' 


DAILY    WAGES   OF   FRENCH    MINE    WORKERS   IN    THREE   DISTRICTS, 
SEPTEMBER,   1920 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Haute-Saone 
Underground 
workers 

Hewers     

Assistants    

Laborers    

Surface   workers 

Male    , 

Female   , 

Bouches-du-Rhone 
Underground 

workers    

Surface    workers., 
Lorraine 
Underground 
workers 
Hewers     (piece- 
work)      

Day   workers    . , 
Surface   workers., 

'p.  42. 


17 
16 
12 

12 
10 


18 
16 


to  19 
"  18 
"  16.50 

"  16.50 
"  12 


20 
18 


20 
14 
13.50 


24 

18.80 

18.80 


3.281  to  3.667 
3.088  "3.474 
2.316  "3.185 

2.316  "3.185 
1.930  "2.316 


3.474  "3.860 
3.088  "3.474 


3.860  "4.630 
2.702  "3.628 
2.606  "3.628 


1.178  to  1.317 

1.109  "  1.247 

.832  "  1.143 


.832 
.693 


1.143 
.832 


1.247  "  1.386 
1.109  "  1.247 


1.386  "  1.663 
.970  "  1.303 
.936  "  1.303 


27 


Potash  Mining 

According  to  data  furnished  by  the  representative  of  the 
Alsatian  Potash  Sales  Office  in  Paris,  potash  miners  in  Alsace 
receive  from  3  francs  to  3.50  francs  (par,  $.579  to  $.676;  ex- 
change 1920-21,  $.208  to  $.243)  per  hour  for  an  eight-hour 
day.^ 

In  a  collective  agreement  affecting  workers  in  French  potash 
mines,  drawn  up  to  run  for  one  year  from  September  15,  1920, 
the  following  wage  rates  were  stipulated  :- 

DAILY   WAGE  RATES  FOR   WORKERS  IN   POTASH    MINES  EFFECTIVE 
SEPTEMBER  15,   1920 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Miners    

23.40  to  25.00 
21.06  "  22.50 
18.72  "  20.00 
17.52  "  18.75 

20.80 
20.60 
16.80 

20.80 
20.80 

15.90 
16.80 

4.516  to  4.825 
4.065  "4.343 
3.613  "3.86 
3.381  "3.619 

4.014 
3.976 
3.242 

4.014 
4.014 

3.069 
3.242 

1.622  to  1.733 

Miners'  apprentices  . . 
Loaders    

1.459  "  1.559 
1.297  "  1.386 

Trackmen'     

1.214  "  1.299 

Job  workers 

Skilled'  

1.441 

Caretakers    

Winchmen 

Surface  workers 

Machinists  

Firemen'    

1.428 
1.164 

1.441 
1.441 

Ordinary  laborers' 

20  to  25  years 

Over  25  years   .... 

1.102 
1.164 

'Over  25  years  of  age. 

-An    additional     family    allowance    of     1     franc     (par,     $.193;     exchange,     1920-21, 
$.0693)   a  day  is  made. 


Germany 

Figures  on  wages  of  Prussian  miners  have  been  published 
quarterly  by  the  Prussian  Government  over  a  period  of 
years.  This  is  probably  the  most  highly  paid  group  of  workers 
in  Germany.  The  average  net  earnings  per  shift  of  men  em- 
ployed in  the  mining  industry  in  the  various  districts  of 
Prussia  during  the  third  quarter  of  1920  are  shown  in  the 
following  table.  The  increases  over  the  second  quarter  of 
1914  are  computed  from  a  comparison  of  the  average  earn- 
ings for  1914  and  1920.     If  the  number  of  men  employed  in 

'Report  of  United  States  Commercial  Attache,  Paris,  February  3,  1921. 
^United  States  Consul,  Paris,  November  11,  1920. 

28 


each  district  be  taken  into  consideration,  the  average  increase 
for  Prussia  as  a  whole,  as  compared  with  the  second  quarter 
of  1914,  is  about  843%  for  hewers  and  trammers,  888%  for 
other  underground  workers,  and  917%  for  surface  workers. 
The  average  increase  for  all  men  together  is  about  872%  ;  that 
is,  miners'  earnings  during  the  third  quarter  of  1920  were  be- 
tween nine  and  ten  times  as  great  as  in  the  period  preceding 
the  war.  The  range  in  figures  in  the  following  table  indicates 
a  range  in  earnings  within  the  various  localities.^ 


AVERAGE  NET  EARNINGS  PER  SHIFT  OF  PRUSSIAN  MINERS  DURING 
THIRD  QUARTER  OF   1920 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 

1920-21 


Hewers  and  Trammers 

Coal    

Lignite    

Copper   

Other  metalliferous 
ores     

Salt  

Other  Underground 
Workers 

Coal     

Lignite    

Copper    

Other  metalliferous 
ores   

Salt  

Surface  Workers 

Coal     

Lignite    

Copper   

Other    metalliferous 

ores   

Salt   


45.97  to  58.08 

41.54  "  53.37 

38.06 

38.80  to  48.31 
41.85  "  42.43 


37.60  "  43.64 

39.28  "  48.82 

34.23 

33.11  to  40. 12 

34.95  "  38.54 

36.35  "  41.33 

39.05  "  53.41 

32.68 

31.82  to  36.48 

32.96  "  33.98 


10.94  to  13.82 

9.89  "12.70 

9.058 

9.23  to  11.50 
9.96  "10.10 


8.95  "10.39 

9.35  "11.62 

8.147 

7.88 to   9.55 
8.32  "   9.17 

8.65  "   9.84 

9.29  "12.71 

7.778 

7.57 to  8.68 
7.84  "  8.09 


.863  to  1.091 

.780  "  1.002 

.715 

.729  to    .907 
.786  "     .797 


.706  "     .820 

.738  "     .917 

.643 

.622  to    .753 
.656  "     .724 

.683  "     .776 

.73:^  "  1.003 

.614 

.599  to    .685 
.619  "     .638 


The  Reichs-Arbeitsblatt  for  November  15,  1920  gives  statis- 
tics of  the  Mine  Owners'  Unions  in  the  Ruhr  for  April,  May 
and  June,  1920,  which  put  the  net  earnings  of  a  miner  at  44.27 
marks  (par,  $10.54;  exchange  1920-21,  $.831)  per  shift,  of  a 
hewer  at  53.90  marks  (par,  $12.83  ;  exchange  1920-21,  $1,012). 
In  June  4.50  marks  (par,  $1.071 ;  exchange  1920-21,  $.085)  per 
shift  were  added  as  food  allowance.  These  figures  include 
allowances  for  children,  etc, 

'Translated  in  British  Labour  Gazette,  March,  1921,  p.  129.  Detailed 
figures  for  third  quarter  1920  in  Rcichs-Arbeitsblatt,  March  31,  1921,  pp. 
422,*  423.* 

29 


I  lie  annual  re])ort  of  the  Harpener  Mining  Company  of 
Doitniund  gave  statistics  on  wages  in  1914  and  1920.  The 
Jigures  for  average  wages  i)er  shift,  including  all  bonuses  and 
without  deduction  of  taxes,  were  as  follows:' 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Ex,change 
1920-21 

Hewers 

Average  1913  and  1914 

August,   1920    

All  Workers 

Average   1913  and   1914 

August,    1920    

6.63 
65.11 

5.50 
54.17 

1.578 
15.50 

1.309 
12.89 

.125 

1.223 

.103 
1.017 

Lignite  Mining 

Labour  Overseas  reports  hourly  wages  of  workers  engaged 
in  lignite  mining  in  the  zone  occupied  by  British  troops  (Co- 
logne district)  in  August,  1920,  as  follows: 


HOURLY    WAGES    OF    WORKERS    IN    LIGNITE    MINES    IN    ZONE    OC- 
CUPIED BY  BRITISH   TROOPS,   AUGUST,    1920 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled    

5. 50  to  6.30 
5.30  •'  5.80 

4.30  "  5.40 
3.20  "  4.10 
3.00  "  4.00 

1.309  to  1.499 
1.261  "1.380 

1.023  "1.285 

0.762  "    .976 

.714  "    .952 

.103  to  .118 

Semi-skilled    

Unskilled 

Men    

.099  "  .109 
.081  "  .101 

Women    

Youths    

.060  "  .077 
.056  "  .075 

In  addition,  3  marks  (par,  $.714;  exchange  1920-21,  $.056) 
per  day  were  allowed  for  a  wife  and  each  child. - 

A  collective  agreement  in  the  lignite  mining  industry  in 
Niederlausitz,  Halle,  Bitterfeld,  Anhalt,  Borna,  Meuselwitz- 
Rositz  and  Madgeburg,  effective  February  1,  1921,  gave  the 
following  wage  rates  per  shift  for  mine  workers,  varying  ac- 
cording to  occupation : 


.,.^^ — j5  .w  ^. — , — — . 

^Labotir  Overseas,  October-December,  1920,  p.  49. 
'July- September,  1920,  p.   135. 


30 


Dollars 


Marks 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Underground   workers. 
Surface   workers    


36.50  to  40.50 
36.50  "  39.50 


8.687  to  9.639 
8.687  "9.401 


.685  to 
.685  " 


761 
742 


In  addition,  adult  men  workers  received  2.50  marks  (par, 
$.596;  exchange  1920-21,  $.047)  per  shift  bonus,  and  women 
and  youths  1.50  marks  (par,  $.357;  exchange  1920-21,  $.028), 
married  workers  received  4  marks  (par,  $.952;  exchange  1920- 
21,  $.075)  per  work-day  house  money,  and  3  marks  (par,  $.714; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.056)  for  each  child  under  15  years  of  age.' 

Metal  Mining 

In  an  agreement  in  the  metal  mining  industry  in  Beusberg, 
effective  November  1,  1920,  rates  per  shift  were  set  as  follows : 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Hewers    

44 

25  to  35 
30   "   43 

10.47 

5.950  to    8.330 
7.140    "  10.23 

826 

Trammers   

Others   

.470  to  .657 
.563    "    .808 

A  family  allowance  of  2  marks  (par,  $.476;  exchange  1920- 
21,  $.038)  per  shift  for  wife  and  each  child  was  elTective  from 
October  1,  1920.- 

'Reichs-Arbcitsblatt,  March  31,  1921,  p.  453.* 
-Idem.,  November  26,  1920,  p.  138. 


31 


IV 
METAL  MANUFACTURING 

Great  Britain 

Iro)i  and  Steel 

Official  figures  show  that  in  the  heavy  iron  and  steel  trades 
(smelting,  puddling,  rolling,  forging,  etc.),  in  which  wages 
fluctuated  in  correspondence  with  the  selling  price  of  the  fin- 
ished products,  increases  in  wage  rates  up  to  the  end  of  1920 
varied  widely,  in  some  cases  equivalent  to  300%  to  350%  of 
the  pre-war  level  (e.g.,  for  blast  furnace  laborers  in  certain 
districts),  while  in  other  cases  they  ranged  between  150%  and 
200%  (e.g.,  for  the  higher  paid  men  in  steel  smelting  shops). 
In  the  tin-plate  and  steel-sheet  trades  in  South  Wales  the  in- 
creases also  varied  considerably,  ranging  from  125%  in  the 
case  of  the  highly  paid  workers  to  206%  for  laborers.^ 

According  to  figures  reported  by  the  United  States  Trade 
Commissioner  in  London,  February  8,  1921,  common  labor  in 
the  iron  and  steel  industry  was  receiving  70  shillings  4  pence 
(par,  $17.11;  exchange  1920-21,  $13.17)  per  w^eek  of  47 
hours." 

The  following  rates  per  ton  for  iron  puddlers  were  the  re- 
sult of  reductions  during  February  and  March,    1921.^ 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Northumberland,  Durham 
West  of  Scotland  

and  Cleveland 

40  10 

42  2 
48  7 

9.936 
10.260 
11.821 

7.647 
7.897 

Midlands    

9.099 

Rates  per  shift  for  blast-furnace  workers  in  South  Stafford- 
shire, effective  from  the  first  full  pay  week  after  October  18, 
1920,  are  given  below  :* 

^Labour  Gazette,  Februar>%  1921,  p.  63. 
"Figures  obtained  from  the  Ministry  of  Labour. 
'Idem.,  March.  1921,  p.  151,  April,  1921,  p.  205. 
*Idem.,  December,  1920,  p.  693. 

32 


RATES     PER     SHIFT     FOR     BLAST-FURNACE     WORKERS     IN     SOUTH 
STAFFORDSHIRE,  OCTOBER,   1920 


Shillings 

and 

Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Keepers  

Furnace  fillers,  chargers  and  bridge 
stockers  

Ore,  mine,  coke  and  lime  wheelers,  and 
barrow  fillers    

Blast-enginemen,  stoveminders    

Loco-drivers    

Slaggers,  teasers,  cinder  catchers 

Hoist  and  filling  enginemen,  brakemen, 
pump  and  boilermen,  boiler  minders. 

Keepers'  and  sluggers'  helpers,  kiln- 
men,  boiler-gasmen   

Assistant  boiler-minders    

Stokers  and  boiler  firemen,  cinder  or 
slag  tippers   or   tipmen 

Shunters  and  firemen  

Oilers,  weighmen,  boxmen,  horse 
drivers,  bogie  strippers,  scrappers, 
assistant  cinder  catchers,  bye-turn 
laborers  

Plate  layers,  general  laborers   


27     3H 
23    9^ 


6.636 
5.79 


5.107 
4.457 


21  11^^ 
21    42/ 

20  ioy4 

20    7 

5.334 
5.205 
5.074 
5.008 

4.107 
4.007 
3.906 
3.855 

20    37/s 

4.945 

3.806 

19    9^ 

19   6y4 

4.816 
4.750 

3.707 
3.656 

18    85/ 
18    2^ 

4.550 
4.441 

3.505 
3.420 

17    73/ 
14    4 

4.294 
3.488 

3.305 
2.684 

Engineering  and  Shipbuilding 

The  wage  rate  of  workers  in  the  engineering  and  shipbuild- 
ing trades  is  made  up  of  a  basic  weekly  rate  plus  a  war  wage  of 
26  shillings,  6  pence,  plus  a  bonus  of  12^%  on  the  total  earn- 
ings. In  the  figures  given  in  this  section  the  total  wage  rate 
has  been  computed,  including  all  of  these  factors. 

According  to  a  report  of  the  United  States  Trade  Commis- 
sioner in  London,  weekly  wages  in  the  engineering  trades  as  of 
February  8,  1921,  were  as  follows:^ 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Skilled  machinists 
Common  labor    . . . 


83  10  to  89    5 
69    2  "  74  10 


20. 40  to  21.76 
16.83  "18.21 


15. 70  to  16.76 
12.95  "  14.02 


The  following  figures  from  the  Ministry  of  Labour  show  the 
average  time  rates  of  wages  for  men  in  representative  occu- 
pations in  16  principal  engineering  centers  and  13  principal 
shipbuilding  centers  in  Great  Britain,  with  the  percentage  in- 
creases over  August,    1914.     The  figures  are  based   on  the 

^Figures  obtained  from  the  Ministry  of  Labour. 

33 


\va<,'cs  of  a  full  ordinary  week,  which  in  1914  was  53  or  54 
hours  and  is  now  47  hours. 

For  skilled  men  on  time  rate.^,  the  average  increase  was  about 
120%  to  130%.  while  for  laborers  it  was  a  little  over  200%. 
For  semi-skilled  classes,  the  percentage  ranged  between  these 
points. 

AVIiRAGU;    WEEKLY    KATE.S    JN    VARIOUS    ENGINEERING    AND    SHIP- 
BUILDING OCCUPATIONS,  DECEMBER  31,   1920 


Shillings 
and 
Pence 

Dollars 

Percentage 
increase 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

over 

August, 

1914 

Engineering 

Fitters  and  turners    

Ironmouldcrs    

89  2 

92  3 

93  5 
70  8 

90  0 
87  2 

91  3 
70  4 

21.69 

22.45 
22.73 
17.19 

21.90 
21.21 
22.20 
17.11 

16.70 

17.28 
17.50 
13.23 

16.86 
16.32 
17.09 
13.17 

129 

121 

Patternmakers    

122 

Laborers    

Shipbuilding 

Platers    

Riveters   

209 

123 
131 

Shipwrights 

Laborers    

121 
204 

In  the  following  tabulation  are  presented  weekly  wage  rates 
for  the  engineering  trades  as  given  in  the  monthly  reports  of 
wage  changes  in  the  Labour  Gazette.  The  changes  reported 
were  effective  on  dates  from  June,  1920,  to  February,  1921. 

WEEKLY    WAGE    RATES    IN    ENGINEERING    TRADES    ADOPTED    BE- 
TWEEN   JUNE,    1920,    AND   FEBRUARY,    1921 


.Shillings 
and   Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Iron  moulders  (10  dis- 
tricts)      

Patternmakers  (8  dis- 
tricts)     

Iron  dressers — Roch- 
dale   

Brassmoulders  — Man- 
chester, Stockport 
and  district   

Platemoulders  (2  dis- 
tricts)     

Fitters,  turners,  smiths, 
etc. — Yeovil  

Blacksmiths  —  Aber- 
deen     

Laborers — Leeds    


86  0^  to  100  Wa 

88  ZVa  "    94  93/g 

82  8y4 

93  4]/. 

86  034  "    87  2y4 

84  11^ 

88  VA 

69  9 


20.94  to  24.41 
21.49  "23.06 
20.12 

22.72 

20.94  "21.21 

20.67 

21.44 
16.97 


16. 12  to  18.79 
16.54  "  17.76 
15.49 

17.49 

16.12  "  16.33 

15.91 

16.50 
13.06 


34 


In  all  cases  the  rates  given  were  increases  over  previous  rates. ^ 

Other  Mclal  Trades 

In  certain  of  the  other  metal  trades,  including  the  manufac- 
ture of  light  castings,  railway  carriage  and  wagon  building, 
sheet  metal  working,  gas  meter  making,  bolt,  nut,  screw  and 
rivet  making  and  tube  manufacturing,  the  general  advances  in 
weekly  rates  of  wages  were  similar  to  those  granted  in  the  en- 
gineering trades. - 

In  those  sections  of  the  metal  trades  in  which  minimum  rates 
of  wages  are  fixed  under  the  Trade  Board's  Acts,  the  follow- 
ing minimum  hourly  rates  had  been  set  by  the  end  of  De- 
cember, 1920 : 


Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Chain-making   (women)    . . . 
Hollow-ware  trade  (women) 
Tin  box  trade  

W&^oWA 

m 

9 

.175  to  .233 

.177 

.182 

.135  to.  179 

.137 

.140 

Increases  in  wages  were  reported  for  the  following  trades 
from  October,  1920  to  March,  1921,  making  weekly  rates  as 
listed  on  the  next  page  f 

Decreases  in  the  Birmingham  brass  foundry  trade  in  April, 
1921,   resulted  in  the   following  weekly  rates:* 

WEEKLY    RATES    IN    THE    BRASS    FOUNDRY    TRADE,    BIRMINGHAM, 

APRIL,    1921 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Dressers    

76  6to90  0 

76  6  "  92  3 

99  0 
85  6 

77  8 

18. 614  to  21. 899 
18.614  "22.447 

24.089 
20.804 
18.898 

14.327  to  16.856 

Polishers    

Casters,  principal 

hands   

Moulders    

Getters-down  

14.327  "  17.277 

18.541 
16.013 
14.546 

^Labour  Gazette,  January  to  April,  1921. 

'Idem., 

^Idem.,  February,  1921,  p.  63. 

^Labour  Gazette,  May,  1921,  p.  258. 


35 


WEEKLY  RATES  IN  VARIOUS  METAL  TRADES,  OCTOBER,  1920  TO 

MARCH,  1921 


Stamped  or  pressed 

vietal  ivarc\    (Great 

Britain) 

Braziers,burnishers 

or  drop  stampers 

Dippers    

Dippers    who    are 
also    bronzers    . . 

Anncalers    

Brass  polishers   . . 
Light  castings  man- 
ufacture", {England) 
Berlin        blackers, 
boxfitters,      dres- 
sers and  filers  up 
Fitters,        pattern- 
filers,    and    sheet 
iron  workers    . . . 

Blacksmiths    

Grinders  and  pol- 
ishers     


Textile       machinery 
fittings,    (Scotland) 
Bobbin    and    shut- 
tlemakers 
Higher  skilled   . 
Lesser  skilled  . . 
Laborers,  skilled 
Screw    manufacture, 
(Birmingham       and 
district ) 

Timeworkers, 


women    

Pieceworkers, 

women^    

Sheet  vietal  workers 
and  traders,   (Hali- 
fax and  district)  . . . 
Gold,  silver  and  al- 
lied trades 
London* 
Men,  over  21   . . . . 
Women,  over  21 . . 
Birmingham 
Men,    21-23   yr.... 
Women,  1st  to  4th 
year 


87 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


77 
70 
64 


3j/$to94    0 
6H  "  80    zy2 

2>V,  "  94    0 

3/2 

33^  "  95  11;^ 


83    9^ 


94    0 


97 

58 

70 

25 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


03/4 

2^ 


90    6^ 


11 
9 

0     to86    0 
0      "  40    0 


Exchange 
1920-21 


19.54  to 22.87    15.04  to  17.60 
16.68    "19.54   12.84    "  15.04 


19.54    "22.87 

19.54 

19.54    "23.35 


20.39 


20.94 
21.21 

22.04 


18.74 
17.15 
15.57 


8.577 
9.733 

22.87 

23.83 
14.295 

17.03   to  20.93 
6.08    "  9.73 


17.60 
17.97 


15.04 
15.04 
15.04 


15.70 


16.12 
16.33 

16.96 


14.42 
13.20 
11.99 


6.602 
7.491 

17.60 

18.34 
11.003 

13.11   to  16.11 
4.68    "    7.49 


'Minimum  time  rates.     Converted  from  hourly  rate  on  a  basis  of  47-hour  week. 
''Time  work. 
'Average. 

^Minimum    rate;    weekly    rate    estimated    from   hourly    rate    on   a   basis    of  47-hour 
week. 

36 


The  following  rates  of  wages  were  in  effect  in  a  linotype 
machine  manufacturing  establishment  in  England  in  May, 
1921 :' 

MINIMUM     WEEKLY    WAGE     RATES     IN     A    LINOTYPE     MACHINE 
FACTORY   IN   ALTRINCHAM,   ENGLAND,    MAY,    1921<» 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Armature  winders 

Borers    

Channel  cutters   . . . 
Capstan  hands   .... 

Coremakers  

Dressers  

Drillers    

Fitters    

Laborers    

Millers   

Moulders   

Millwrights     

Painters   (machine) 

Planers     

Patternmakers  . . . .  - 
Press  tool  makers  . 

Punch  cutters    

Stampers,  matrix   . , 

Smiths    

Strikers    , 

Storekeepers  

Turners    , 


0 

3^  to  89  5^ 
8K 


88  3M 
68  0J4 
84  1134 
86  0^ 
90  63/4 
72  63^ 
84  11^ 
92    9^ 


82  8K 
70  3^ 
93  4H 


6H 

33/4 
63/4 

8K 

Wa 

33/4 


21.90 

20.67 

17.11 

17.11 

21. 49  to  21. 76 

20.12 

19.57  "20.12 

21.49 

16.56  "17.11 

17.11 

20.94  "22.72 

22.04 

17.66 

20.67 

22.58 

22.04 

17.11 

17.11 

22.04 

17.93 

17.11 

21.49 


16.86 

15.91 

13.17 

13.17 

16. 54  to  16.75 

15.49 

15.06 

16.54 

12.75 

15.91 

16.12 

16.96 

13.59 

15.91 

17.38 

16.96 

13.17 

13.17 

16.96 

13.80 

13.17 

16.54 


15.49 
13.17 
17.49 


a  Rates  computed  from  base  rate  and  12J^%  bonus  on  earnings. 

A  premium  bonus  system  is  in  operation  at  these  works. 
Piece  rates  are  fixed  by  arrangements  between  representatives 
of  the  employer  and  workmen  concerned.  These  rates  are  so 
fixed  that  the  average  workman  can  earn  33.3%  over  present 
time  rates,  excluding  war  bonus.  Each  workman's  day  wage  is 
guaranteed  irrespective  of  his  piece-work  earnings.  Overtime 
and  night  allowances  are  paid  in  addition  to  piece-work 
earnings. 

France 

According  to  the  Assistant  Secretary  General  of  the  Em- 
ployers' Association  of  the  Metallurgical  and  Mining  Indus- 
tries, quoted  by  the  United  States  Commercial  Attache,  Paris, 
February  4,  1921,  skilled  laborers  were,  at  that  time  receiving 
250%  to  325%  above  their  pre-war  wages,  and  the  wages  of 
commmon  laborers  had  increased  approximately  350%. 

^Data  from  the  Mergenthaler  Linotype  Company,  New  York  City. 

3S 


c  r  o  Q  -p 


Iron  and  Steel 

Information  from  tlic  Comitc  des  1^'orgcs  de  France,  the 
central  organization  of  the  French  iron  and  steel  industry, 
gives  minimum  daily  wages  in  this  industry  in  1920  as  follows:^ 

MINIMUM   DAILY    WAGES   IN   IRON    AND   STEEL  INDUSTRY, 
FRANCE,   1920 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled   workers   in  various 
lines 
Paris          

17 

16  to  19 

IS 

12  "  16 

3.281 

3.088  to  3.667 

2.895 

2.316  "3.088 

1.178 

Rest  of  France    

Ordinary  workmen  or 
helpers 
Paris    

1.109  to  1.317 
1.040 

Rest  of  France   

.832  "  1.109 

This  same  report  states  that  highly  skilled  w^orkers  paid  on  a 
piece  basis  received  from  25  to  40  francs  (par,  $4.83  to  $7.72; 
exchange  1920-21,  $1.74  to  $2.77)  per  day.  Rates  for  common 
labor  also  would  be  somewhat  higher  than  the  minimum  rates 
given  above. 

A  comparison  of  hourly  wage  rates  for  common  labor  from 
three  sources  is  given  below.   The  figures  from  the  Comite  des 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Figures  from  the  Comite 
des  Forges  de  France' 

Paris    

Rest  of  France  

Figures  from  the  General 
Federation  of  Labour" 

Paris    

Provinces    

Figures  from  Employers' 
Association  of  Metallur- 
gical and  Mining  Indus- 
tries* 

Paris    

Provinces  


1.50     to2.00 


2.50 
2.00 


.362 

.290  to  .386 


.483 
.386 


2.25 
1.80 


.434 
.347 


,130 

.104  to  .139 


.173 
.139 


.156 
.125 


'Minimum  rates.    Hourly  rates  computed  from  daily  rates  given  in  previous  table 
on  basis  of  8  hours  per  day.) 

^Report  of  United  States  Commercial  Attache,  Paris,  February  4,  921. 

'United  States  Trade  Commissioner,  Paris;   Commerce  Reports,  January  21,  1921. 

'United  States  Trade  Commissioner,  Paris,  November  6,  1920;  Com- 
merce Reports,  January  21,  1921. 

38 


Forges  de  France  are  minimum  rates,  however,  and  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Employers'  Association  states  (see  below)  that  the 
figures  of  the  General  Federation  of  Labour  were  somewhat 
too  high. 

Engineering 

Tables  of  wages  and  wage  rates  in  the  French  metal  trades 
from  various  sources  are  given  in  this  section.  Upon  com- 
parison it  appears  that  a  representative  figure  for  skilled  male 
workers  in  these  occupations  was  about  3  francs  (par,  $.579; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.208)  per  hour.  Some  were  paid  less  than 
this,  as  is  shown  by  the  tables  of  minimum  rates ;  highly  skilled 
moulders,  on  the  other  hand,  received  as  high  as  6  francs  (par 
$1,158;  exchange  1920-21,  $.416)  per  hour. 

The  following  figures  on  hourly  wages  in  the  French  en- 
gineering trades,  furnished  by  the  Employers'  Association  of 
Metallurgical  and  Mining  Industries,  were  reported  by  the 
United  States  Commercial  Attache,  Paris,  February  3,  1921 : 

HOURLY  WAGES  IN   FRENCH   ENGINEERING  TRADES, 
FEBRUARY,   1921 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled  machinists 

Provinces   

3.00  to  3.25 

3.00  "  3.25 

3.60  "  3.75 
3.0O  "  3.25 
2.85  "  3.50 
2.85  "  3.50 
2.85  "  3.50 

3.05  "3.10 

3.00  "  3.70 

up  "  6.00 

1.87  "  3.12 

2.50^ 

1.50  "  1.62 

.579  to  .627 

.579  "  .627 

.695  "  .724 
.579  "  .627 
.550  "  .676 
.550  "  .676 
.550  ".676 

.589  ".598 

.579  ".714 

1.158 

.361  "  .602 

.483 

.290  "  .313 

208  to  225 

Blacksmiths 

Provinces    

.208  "  .225 

Turners 

Paris   

.249  "    260 

Provinces    

Fitters    

Erectors   

Inspectors    

.208  "  .225 

.198  "  .243 

.198  "  .243 

198  "    243 

Moulders 

Day  work    

Piece    work    

Highly    skilled    moulders 
Common  male  labor 

Paris     

Female  labor,  semi-skilled 

Paris  

.211  "  .215 

.208  "  .256 

.416 

.130  "  .216 

173 

Provinces    

104  "    112 

The  same  report  also  gives  the  following  hourly  wage  rates 
furnished  by  the  General  Federation  of  Labour : 


39 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled  machinists 
Paris   

3.50  to  5.00 
3.00  "  4.25 

2.50  "  3.12 

2.50  "  3.75 
2.50  "  3.00 

.676  to  .965 
.579  "  .820 

.483  "  .602 

.483  "  .724 
.483  "  .579 

.243  to  .347 

.208  "  .295 

Common  male  labor 

Paris 

.173  "  .216 

Female  labor,  semi-skilled 

Paris   

Provinces  

.173  "  .260 
.173  "  .208 

As  regards  the  figures  from  this  source,  however,  the  report 
states : 

The  Sp'-retary  of  the  General  Federation  of  Labour  could  furnish  no 
other  figure?  than  those  given  above,  and  he  said  that  they  were  only  an 
approximate  average.  He  could  not  give  exact  figures  because  of  the 
variation  in  wages  paid  since  the  industrial  crisis  set  in  about  three 
months  ago.  In  some  cases,  there  have  been  reductions  in  the  salaries. 
As  a  general  rule,  the  wages  paid  in  provinces  are  20%  less  than  those 
paid  in  the  Paris  region.  The  Secretary  of  the  Employers'  Association 
of  the  Metallurgical  and  Mining  Industries  stated  that  the  figures  fur- 
nished by  the  General  Federation  of  Labour  were  somewhat  too  high. 
.  .  .  .  He  said  that  less  than  10%  of  the  skilled  workers  receive  as 
high  as  5  francs  per  hour. 

According  to  wage  figures  furnished  by  the  United  States 
Trade  Commissioner  in  Paris,  November  6,  1920,  hourly  wages 
of  blacksmiths  had  increased  200%  since  1913,  and  wages  of 
boring  mill  hands  and  operators,  and  punch  press  hands  and 
operators  about  323%.  The  hourly  wage  rates  for  these  occu- 
pations in  1920,  according  to  this  source,  were  ■} 


Francs 

Dc 

liars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Blacksmiths  

Boring  mill  hands  and  operators. . . . 
Punch  press  hands  and  operators... 

3.00 

2.75 
2.75 

.579 
.531 
.531 

.208 
.191 
.191 

Basic  hourly  wage  rates  in  the  French  metal  industry  fixed 
by  collective  agreement  in  various  localities,  between  February 
and  September,  1920,  and  reported  to  the  Ministry  of  Labour, 
are  tabulated  below.  The  rates  varied  according  to  the  skill  of 
the  workers.^ 

^United  States.     Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce.     Com- 
merce Reports,  January  21,  1921. 
'Bulletin  du  Ministere  du  Travail,  August-October,  1920,  p.  432-3. 


40 


HOURLY  WAGE  RATES   IN   THE  FRENCH    METAL   INDUSTRY   FIXED 

BY  COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT  BETWEEN  FEBRUARY  AND 

SEPTEMBER,  1920 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Vienne   

1.975  to  2.475 

.381   to  .478 

.137   to.  172 

Roanne    '. 

1.75    "  2.50 

.338    ".483 

.121    "  .173 

Paris  (Lorraine)*  .... 

1.75    "  2.50 

.338    ".483 

.121    "  .173 

Lille   

.65b  "  2.20 

.125    ".425 

.045    "  .152 

Maubeuge    

.45    "2.18 

.0868  "  .421 

.0312  "  .151 

Zeneghem* 

1.25    "  2.25 

.241     "  .434 

.087    "  .156 

Limoges'  

1.00    "  2.25 

.193    ".434 

.069    "  .156 

o  Hourly  rate  computed  from  daily  rate  on  basis  of  8-hour  day. 
b  Apprentices. 

The  daily  wage  scale  of  the  Metallurgical  Workers'  Union, 
May  7,  1920,  was  reported  by  the  United  States  Consul  at 
Lyon,  as  follows:^ 

DAILY  WAGE  RATES  OF  METALLURGICAL  WORKERS,   1920 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Ordinary  mechanics   

Tr^ol  edgers    

Special  workers  (on  hot  or 

cold)    

0:iers     

Laborers    

Skilled    women    

Unskilled  women    

Pattern  makers,  mechanics 

Fitters     

Electricians,        finishers, 

winders     

Ordinary  electricians  .... 
Coppersmiths,  boiler 

makers    

Holders     

Ironmakers     

Founders,    smelters    

Carpenters     


24.00  to  28.00 
24.00  "  27.20 


4.632  to  5.404 
4.632  "5.250 


1.663  to  1.940 
1.663  "  1.885 


22.00 
22.00 
18.00 
16.00 
12.00 
32.00 
26.00 

28.00 
24.00 

24.00 
26.40 
22.00 
24.00 
24.00 


24.00 
24.00 
24.00 


40.00 
28.80 

32.00 
30.00 

27.60 
32.00 
30.00 
28.80 
30.00 


4.246 
4.246 
3.474 
3.088 
2.316 
6.176 
5.018 


'4.632 
4.632 
'4.632 


7.720 
5.558 


5.404  "6.176 
4.632  "5.790 

4.632  "5.308 
5.095  "6.176 
4.246  "5.790 
4.632  "5.558 
4.632  "5.790 


1.525 
1.525 
1.247 
1.109 
.832 
2.218 
1.802 

1.940 
1.663 

1.663 
1.830 
1.525 
1.663 
1.663 


1.663 
1.663 
1.663 


2.772 
1.996 

2.218 
2.079 

1.906 
2.218 
2.079 
1.996 
2.079 


According  to  a  report  of  the  United  States  Consul  at  Lyon, 

France,  published  in  the  Monthly  Labor  Reviezv  of  the  United 

States  Department  of  Labor,  for  October,  1920,  the  following 

average   daily    rates   were   being  paid    metal    workers    in   the 

Rhone  region : 

'United  States.     Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics.     Monthly  Labor  Review, 
October,  1920. 

41 


AVERAGE   DAILY    KATES    IN    METAL   INDUSTRY   IN    RHONE   REGION, 

1920 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Fitters,    filers 

Mechanics,    metallurgy    

Automobiles    

Electricity    

Foundry    

Fitters,  automobile 

Motors 

Chassis    

Repairs    

Fitters,  tools 

Mechanics,    metallurgy    

Wire  drawing  

Fitters,  copper  work — foundry   

Borers — mechanics,  metallurgy  

Trimmers,  dressers — electricity  

Winders  on  bobbins — electricity   

Coppersmiths  and  boilersmiths   

Mechanics,  metallurgy   

Automobiles     

Furnace  men,  wire  drawing 

Boiler  men,  wire  drawing 

Foremen,   electricity    

Clippers,  iron  plate 

Mechanics,  metallurgy  

Electricity  

Controlling-machine  men — electricity. . 
Men  on  roller  bridge — mechanics,  met- 
allurgy   

Electricians 

Mechanics,  metallurgy   

Automobiles    

Electricity    

Packers — electricity   

Wire  stretchers — wire  drawing 

Founders  and  casters — foundry   

Blacksmiths — mechanics,  metallurgy  . . . 
Countersinkers 

Mechanics,  metallurgy  

Automobiles  

Electricity    

Masons — mechanics,  metallurgy    

Ordinary  laborers 

Mechanics,  metallurgy   

Automobiles    

Electricity    

Foundry    

Cold-metal    laborers — foundry    

Hot-metal  laborers — foundry 

Woodworking  machinists — automobiles 
Repair   mechanics 

Mechanics,    metallurgy    

Automobiles  

Wire   drawing    


20.68 
24.56 
20.85 
20.10 

22.10 
20.98 
20.26 

21.07 
20.80 
20.66 
19.09 
12.92 
20.80 

19.88 
24.52 
18.50 
16.10 
22.00 

17.00 
15.26 
17.60 

18.80 

20.06 
21.10 
19.45 
15.20 
21.80 
22.00 
21.44 

21.67 
23.15 
18.04 
18.76 

15.02 
14.87 
14.95 
14.12 
15.80 
16.10 
18.80 

19.00 
18.40 
21.00 


3.991 

4.740 


024 
879 

265 
,049 
910 


4.067 
4.014 
3.987 
3.684 
2.494 
4.014 

3.837 
4.732 
3.571 
3.107 
4.246 

3.281 
2.945 
3.397 

3.628 

3.872 
4.072 
3.754 
2.934 
4.207 
4.246 
4.138 

4.182 
4.468 
3.482 
3.621 

2.899 
2.870 
2.885 
2.725 
3.049 
3.107 
3.628 

3.667 
3.551 
4.053 


1.433 
1.702 
1.445 
1.393 

1.532 
1.454 
1.404 

1.460 
1.441 
1.432 
1.323 
.895 
1.441 

1.378 
1.699 
1.282 
1.116 
1.525 

1.178 
1.058 
1.220 

1.303 

1.390 
1.462 
1.348 
1.053 
1.511 
1.525 
1.486 

1.502 
1.604 
1.250 
1.300 

1.041 
1.030 
1.036 
.979 
1.095 
1.116 
1.303 

1.317 
1.275 
1.455 


42 


AVERAGE  DAILY  RATES   IN    METAL   INDUSTRY   IN    RHONE   REGION, 

1920 — continued 


Francs 

Del 

lars 

Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Joiners 

Mechanics,  metallurgy   

18.94 

3.655 

1.313 

Electricity     

23.00 

4.439 

1.594 

Carriace  men — automobiles    

22.00 

4.246 

1.525 

Carriage  repair  men — automobiles  .... 

20.98 

4.049 

1.454 

Tool  grinders — mechanics,  metallurgy. 

16.86 

3.254 

1.168 

Pattern  makers 

Mechanics,    metallurgy    

26.10 

5.037 

1.809 

31.20 
20.50 

6.022 
3.957 

2.162 

Molders — foundry   

1.421 

Engine   fitters — mechanics,  metallurgy. 

18.92 

3.652 

1.311 

Engine  fitters,  assistant-mechanics  met- 

allurffv    

16.09 
22.09 

3.105 
4.418 

1.115 

Mortise  men — mechanics,   metallurgy   . 

1.586 

Toolmakers — mechanics,   metallurgy    . . 

22.15 

4.275 

1.535 

Painters — mechanics,   metallurgy    

18.70 

3.609 

1.296 

Borers — mechanics,  metallurgy 

18.67 

3.603 

1.294 

Stampers — mechanics,   metallurgy    .... 

16.80 

3.242 

1.164 

Polishers — automobiles 

21.00 

4.053 

1.455 

Correctors 

18.20 

3.513 

1.261 

Automobiles     

19.82 
16.60 

3.825 
3.204 

1.374 

Electricity  

1.150 

Riveters — mechanics,   metallurgy    

18.20 

3.513 

1.261 

Autogenous  solderers — mechanics,  met- 

allurgy   

21.80 

4.207 

1.511 

Turners 

Mechanical   metallurgy    

21.42 

4.134 

1.484 

Automobiles    

25.80 
20.85 

4.979 
4.024 

1.788 

Electricity     

1.445 

Parallel  turners — automobiles   

23.72 

4.578 

1.644 

Vertical  turners — automobiles   

25.10 

4.844 

1.739 

Stretchers — mechanics,  metallurgy 

21.83 

4.213 

1.513 

Wire  drawers — wire  drawing   

19.40 

3.744 

1.344 

In  the  report  of  an  agreement  concluded  in  May,  1920  be- 
tween the  foundry  workmen  of  Marseilles  and  their  employers, 
the  following  minimum  rates  for  an  8-hour  day,  including 
cost  of  living  bonus,  were  given  ■} 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled    

22.50 

17.00 
15.00 

4.343 
3.281 
2.895 

1.559 

Semi-skilled    

1.178 

Unskilled   

1  040 

The  following  daily  wage  scales  were  reported  for  a  large 
automobile  factory  near  Lyon  :^ 

^Labour  Overseas,  April-June,  1920,  p.  41. 

43 


DAILY  WAGE  RATES  IN  AUTOMOBILE  FACTORY  NEAR  LYON 

Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled  mechanics  

Ordinary    mechanics,    car- 
penters, etc 

Unskilled     laborers    work- 
ing  at    machines 

Bricklayers,  masons,  etc... 

Ordinary  unskilled  laborers 

Unskilled    female    laborers 
at   machines 

26.00  to  30.00 

22.00  "  26.00 

20.00  "  24.00 
20.00  "  24.00 
16.00  "  20.00 

12.00  "  20.00 

11.20  "  16.00 

5.018  to  5.790 

4.246  "5.018 

3.860  "4.632 
3.860  "4.632 
3.088  "3.860 

2.316  "3.860 

2.162  "3.088 

1.802  to  2. 079 

1.525  "  1.802 

1.386  "  1.663 
1.386  "  1.663 
1.109  "  1.386 

.832  "  1.386 

Unskilled      female      hands 
(sweepers,  etc.) 

.776  "  1.109 

A  Swiss  report  gives  the  following  average  hourly  wages  for 
the  French  machine  industry  at  the  end  of  1920  :^ 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Lyon 

Non-certified  workers  over  20  years.. 
Average  for  adult  workers   

2.15 
3.00 

2.80 

.415 
.579 

.540 

.149 
.208 

Paris 
Average  for  adult  workers 

.194 

Reports  from  various  sources  showed  that  in  the  spring  of 
1921  there  was  considerable  unemployment  in  the  French  metal 
trades,  and  that  curtailment  in  wages  had  been  made  in  many 
districts,  especially  in  the  Rhone  district  and  Lyon.  The  aver- 
age cut  in  wages  was  about  15%,  though  in  some  instances 
it  was  as  high  as  20%. 

Germany 

General  Metal  Trades 

Figures  on  average  wages  in  the  German  iron  and  metal  in- 
dustry in  February,  1920,  were  issued  by  the  Federal  Statistical 
Office.  They  cover  the  wages  of  783,940  workmen,  in  3,185 
establishments.  The  following  table  gives  the  lowest  and  high- 
est rates  reported  for  the  various  localities.  It  is  apparent  from 
the  other  data  in  this  section,  however,  that  in  general,  wages 
had  increased  considerably  over  these  figures  by  the  end  of  1920. 

^L'Union  Centrale  des  Associations  patronales  suisses.  Bulletin  No. 
9,  p.  10. 

44 


AVERAGE  HOURLY  WAGE  RATES  IN  THE  GERMAN  IRON  AND  STEEL 
INDUSTRY,   FEBRUARY,    1920 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Borers 

Time    work    

Piece  work  

Turners 
Time  work   

2.06  to  4. 53 
2.64  "  5.18 

2.42  "  4.68 
2.57  "  5.41 

2.37  "  4.21 
2.79  "  5.53 

2.26  "  4.50 
2.79  "  5.38 

2.39  "  4.94 

2.57  "  5.55 

.491  to  1.079 
.629  "1.234 

.577  "1.115 
.612  "1.289 

.565  "1.003 
.665  "1.318 

.539  "1.072 
.665  "1.282 

.570  "1.177 
.612  "1.323 

.039  to  .085 
.050  "  .097 

.045  "  .088 
.048  "  .102 

Engine  fitters 

Time    work     

Piece    work    

.045  "  .079 
.052  "  .104 

Locksmiths 

Time    work     

.042  "  .085 

Piece    work            

.052  "  .101 

Toolmakers 

Time  work   

Piece    work    

.045  "  .093 
.048  "  .104 

The  Union  of  German  Metal  Workers  has  issued  statistics 
covering  2,300,000  workers,  which  show  that  about  63%  of 
those  workers  are  receiving  wages  which  are  more  than  800% 
greater  than  those  of  1914,  about  36%  are  receiving  wages 
from  500  to  800%  greater  than  in  1914,  and  the  remainder  are 
receiving  wages  which  have  not  increased  so  much  as  500%.^ 

Details  of  hourly  wage  rates  fixed  by  collective  agreements 
in  the  German  metal  industry  between  October  1,  1920,  and 
February  1,  1921,  are  given  below.  In  most  of  the  agreements 
rates  are  definitely  set  for  workers  of  various  ages,  but  in  this 
compilation  only  ranges  of  rates  are  given.  The  great  variation 
between  wage  rates  in  different  localities  is  due  largely  to  the 
difference  in  cost  of  living  in  these  districts.  In  agreements 
covering  districts  which  include  both  urban  and  rural  com- 
munities, provision  is  made  for  higher  rates  in  the  urban  cen- 
ters to  take  care  of  the  higher  living  cost.  Family  allowances 
for  workers  who  are  heads  of  households  are  a  feature  of  prac- 
tically all  the  agreements.- 

'United   States   Consul,  Berlin,   in  Bureau  of   Foreign  and  Domestic 
Commerce.     Commerce  Reports,  July  15,  1921. 
-Reichs-Arheitsblatt,  November  1,  1920  to  March  31,  1921. 


45 


HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    IN    THE     METAL    INDUSTRIES    FIXED    BY 
COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,  OCTOBER,  1920,  TO  FEBRUARY,  1921 


1 

Dollars 

Marks 

Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Anhalf 

Skilled   men    

4.40to4.85 
4.25  "  4.70 

1.049  to  1.156 
1.013  "1.120 

.0826  to 
.0798  " 

.0911 

Trained   men    

.0883 

Unskilled  men' 

3.80  "  4.40 

.906  "1.049    .0714  " 

.0826 

Machinists   and    stokers.. 

4.70  "  4.80    1.120  "1.144 

.0883  " 

.0901 

Women    

2.30              1    .548 

.0432 

Foundry    workers,    addi- 

tional     

.10 

.0238 

.0019 

Konstanz  district" 

Skilled  men 

4.05  "5.70 

.965  "1.358 

.0761  " 

.1070 

Trained   men    

3.70  "  5.10 

.882  "1.215 

.0695  " 
.0639  " 
.0441  " 

.0958 

Unskilled    men    

3.40  "  4.70      .810  "1.120 

.0883 

Women    

2.35  "  2.95 

.560  "    .703 

.0554 

Harburg  and  vicinity* 

Smiths,   turners,   etc.,   over 

20   years    

5.60 

1.334 

.1052 

Trained  workers 

5.40 

1.287 

.1014 

Darmstadt'' 

Skilled  men  over  25  years 

6.10 

1.454 

.1146 

Trained  men  over  25  years 

5.80 

1.382 

.1089 

Helpers  over  25  years.... 

5.40 

1.287 

.1014 

Women  over  20  years.... 

3.00 

.715 

.0563 

Wiirtemberg" 

i 

Skilled  men  over  25  years 

4. 10  to  4.30 

.977  to  1.025 

.0770  to 

.0808 

Trained  men  over  25  years 

3.83  "  4.00 

.913  "    .953 

.0719  " 

.0751 

Helpers  over  25  years.... 

3.65  "  3.801    .869  "    .906 

.0685  " 

.0714 

Women  over  20  years .... 

2.06  "  2.15 

.491  "    .512 

.0387  " 

.0404 

Gladbach  and  vicinity' 

Tool    makers,    head    work- 

men  

5.55  "  5.85 

1.323  "1.394 

.1042  " 

.1099 

Skilled  men  over  23  years 

5.15  "  5.45  i  1.227  "1.299 

.0967  " 

.1024 

Trained  men  over  23  years 

4.85  "  5.151  1.156  "1.227 

.091    " 

.0967 

Responsible     helpers     over 

23    years    

4.65  "  4.95 

1.108  "1.180 

.0873  " 

.0930 

Common    helpers    over    21 

years  

4.30  "  4.60 

1.025  "1.096 

.0808  " 

.0864 

Women  over  19  years 

2.75  "  3.00 

.655  "    .715 

.0516  " 

.0563 

•Workers  over  20.  Minimum  rate.  Class  I,  according  to  locality,  rates  as  above; 
Class  II,    5%   less. 

-Married  men  and  widowers  in  this  group  receive  an  additional  house  allowance 
of    .20   mark    (par,    $.0477;   exchange   1920-21,   $.00376)    per   hour. 

■''Total  for  time  workers  over  20  years.  Cost  of  living  bonus  for  city  of  Konstanz, 
from  .20  to  .30  marks  (par.  $.0477  to  $.0715;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.00376  to  $.00563) 
per  hour. 

■•Family  allowance:  wife,  8  marks  (par,  $1,904;  exchange  1920-21,  $1.1500)  per 
week;  each  child,  16  marks  (par,  $3,812,  exchange  1920-21,  $.3005). 

"Family  allowance:  .10  marks  (par,  $.0238;  exchange  1920-21,  $.00188)  per  hour 
for  wife  and  each  child. 

^Minimum  rate;  must  be  increased  at  least  10%  after  4  weeks.  City  of  Stuttgart 
rates  approximately  10%  higher.  Married  men  .20  marks  (par,  $.0477:  exchange 
1920-21,  $.00376). 

'Children  bonus  1.50  marks   (par,  $.357;  exchange  1920-21,  $.0282)   per  shift. 


46 


HOURLY     W.AGE    R.^TES    IN    THE     METAL    INDUSTRIES    FIXED    BY 
COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,  OCTOBER,  1920,  TO  FEBRUARY,  1921 

— Continued 


M 

Dollars 

arks 

Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Mannheim  and  Ludwigshafen' 

Skilled  men    

6.40  ' 
6.35  ' 

6.80 
6.60 

1.525  "1.620 
1.513  "1.573 

.1202  " 
.1193  " 

.1277 

Trained  men          

.1239 

Trained    men     for    special 

work   

6.00  ' 

'  6.30 

1.430  "1.501 

.1127  " 

.1183 

5.85  ' 
3.75  ' 

'  6.00 
4.15 

1.394  "1.430 
.894  "    .989 

.1099  " 

.0704  " 

1127 

Women    over    21    years... 

.0779 

Hamburg,  Altona,  Wandsbeck 

and  vicinity" 

Skilled' 

5.60 

1.334 

.1052 

Trained     men     and     ma- 

chinists  over  21    years.. 

4.80  ' 

■  5.. 30 

1.144  "1.203 

.0901  " 

.0095 

Unskilled     men     over     21 

years   

4.80 

1.144 

.0901 

Unskilled    women   over    18 

years   

3.30 

•  3.40 

.785  "    .810 

.0620  " 

.0639 

Mainz,  Wiesbaden  and  vicin- 

ity and  the  Rhine  district^ 

Men : 

Skilled    

4.75  to  5.85 

1.132  to  1.394 

.0892  to 

.1099 

Trained    

4.60 

'  5.65 

1.096  "1.346 

.0864  " 

.1061 

Helpers      and      common 

labor    

4.60 

•  5.53 

1.096  "1.323 

.0864  " 

104:'! 

Women : 

Skilled    

3.35 

'  3.45 

.798  "    .822 

.0629  " 

.0648 

Unskilled  

3.10 

■  3.30 

.739  "    .786 

.0582  " 

.0620 

Sondershausen  and  vicinity' 

Workers  over  21  years. . . . 

4.10 

'  4.50 

.977  "1.072 

.0770  " 

.0845 

'Total  wage  for  time  workers  over  25  years  including  cost  of  living  bonus. 
Children  allowance,  .10  marks  (par,  $.0238;  exchange  1920-21,  $.00188)  per  hour 
each. 

-Lock  and   machine   marking. 

^From  4  years  after  ended  apprenticeship. 

■•Over  20  years.  For  rural  districts,  .10  marks  (par,  $.0238;  exchange  1920-21, 
.00188)  per  hour  less. 

■•Married  men,  widowers,  or  separated  persons  receive  also  2  marks  (par,  $.477; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.0376)  house-money  daily  and  1  mark  (par,  $.238;  exchange 
1920-21,  $.0188)   for  each  child  under  14. 

In  the  following  table  are  given  rates  for  the  metal  industry 
in  the  Diisseldorf  area,  as  reported  in  December,  1920.^  This 
wage  agreement  had  been  in  force  since  April,  1920,  and  it  was 
stated  that  the  rates  could  be  taken  as  representing  in  general 
the  average  wages  paid  in  the  German  metal  industry.  The  later 
agreements,  presented  above,  however,  show  an  increase  over 
these  rates.    According  to  this  report  piece  rates  were  fixed  so 

^Secretary  to  the  British  Embassy,  Berlin.  General  report  on  the 
industrial  and  economic  situation  in  Germany,  December,   1920. 

47 


that  an  average  worker  could  earn  at  least  15%  above  the  fixed 
hourly  wage,  and  in  general  piece-work  earnings  were  about 
40%  higher  than  the  basic  rates. 

HOURLY  WAGE  RATES  IN  THE  MACHINE  INDUSTRIES,  FOUNDRIES, 
LOCOMOTIVE,  WAGON  AND  ALLIED  INDUSTRIES  AND  ENAMEL- 
LING WORKS,  DUSSELDORF,  DECEMBER,    1920^ 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Skilled  workers  having  a  cer- 
tificate of  proficiency" 

Skilled  workers  without  a 
certificate    of    proficiency 

Trained    workers    

Helpers  or  mates    


3.70to4.50 

3.60  "  4.30 
3.55  "  4.05 
3.55  "  3.85 


?2to  1.072 


.858 
.846 
.846 


1.025 
.965 
.917 


.069  to  .085 

.068  "  .081 
.067  "  .076 
.067  "  .072 


'Workers  over  21  years  of  aage. 

^Workers  who  can  prove  to  have  had  long  and  varied  experiencec  and  practical 
training,  capable  of  working  independently  in  their  trade.  (Doubtful  cases  are 
decided  by  a  commission  of  experts.) 

Provisions  for  female  workers  in  this  agreement  were  as 
follows : 

1.  Female  workers  doing  men's  work  receive  20%  less  than  do  male 
workers  of  the  same  class. 

2.  Special  female  workers  over  21  years,  including  japanners,  edgers, 
electro-oxy-acetylene  welders,  assemblers,  printers,  machine  workers, 
cleaners  in  pickling  shops,  and  sprayers  receive  from  2.50  to  2.70  marks 
(par,  $.596  to  $.643;  exchange  1920-21,  $.047  to  $.051)  per  hour. 

3.  Female  helpers  or  mates  (cleaners,  washers,  packers  and  other 
helpers)  receive  2.40  to  2.60  marks  (par,  $.572  to  $.620;  exchange  1920- 
21,  $.045  to  $.049)  per  hour. 

The  following  special  provisions  were  made : 

1.  Child  allowance,  1  mark  (par,  $.238;  exchange  1920-21,  $.019)  per 
shift,  payable  for  all  children  up  to  the  age  of  14  years  inclusive,  or  to 
the  age  of  16  years  inclusive,  if  still  at  school.  For  weak  and  sickly 
people  this  child  allowance  is  also  paid  above  the  age  of  16,  in  so  far  as 
they  are  incapable  of  earning  a  living.  A  child  allowance  is  also  paid 
in  the  case  of  sole  supporters  of  families. 

2.  Foremen  and  gangers  working  on  piece  work  receive  an  hourly 
extra  payment  of  not  less  than  .20  marks  (par,  $.048;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.0038).  Foremen  and  gangers  not  working  on  piece  work  receive  an 
extra  payment  of  not  less  than  .40  marks  (par,  $.095;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.0075)  per  hour. 

3.  The  increased  cost  of  living  bonus  is  an  additional  payment  per  hour, 
the  piece-work  basis  remaining  the  same  as  before.  Male  workers  over 
21  years  of  age  receive  1  mark  (par,  $238;  exchange  1920-21,  $.019) 
per  hour  and  women  .50  to  .80  marks  (par,  $.119  to  $.191;  exchange 
1920-21,  $.0094  to  $.015)  per  hour.  Workers  above  the  age  of  23  who  are 
sole  supporters  of  their  family  receive  a  bonus  of  one  mark  (par,  $.238- 
exchange  -920-21,  $.019)   per  hour. 


AS 


The  demand  of  the  heavy  iron  workers  of  the  Saar  district 
for  the  payment  of  their  wages  in  francs  was  conceded  in  De- 
cember. Workers  at  blast  furnaces,  steel  works  and  rolling 
mills  received  the  following  hourly  rates,  and  in  addition  a  cost 
of  living  bonus  of  1.50  francs  (par,  $.290;  exchange,  1920-21, 
$.104)  per  hour.^ 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled  workmen  

1.70 
1.50 
1.40 

.328 
.290 
.270 

.118 

Laborers    

.104 

Casual  laborers 

.097 

The  collective  contract  which  came  into  force  on  December 
1,  1920,  fixed  hourly  wages  in  the  small-scale  metal  industry  in 
the  Saar  valley  as  follows  for  artisans  and  laborers  :- 

HOURLY  WAGE  RATES  IN  SMALL-SCALE  METAL  INDUSTRY  IN  SAAR 
VALLEY,  DECEMBER,  1920^ 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Artisans  

5.65  to  7.20 
4.90  •'  6.30 
4.85  "  5.90 

1.346  to  1.716 
1.168  "1.501 
1.156  "1.406 

.1061  to  .1352 

Laborers 

Casual  laborers   

.0920  "  .1183 
.0911  "  .1108 

Allowances   per  month 
Wife  

120 

40 
50 
60 

28.596 

9.532 

11.915 

14.298 

2.254 

1  child    

751 

2  children    

939 

3  children  or  more 

1.127 

^Workers  over  21  years  of  age. 

The  following  average  hourly  rates  were  reported  for  the 
metal  industry  in  the  zone  occupied  by  British  troops  (Cologne 
district)   in  August,  1920:^ 

^Labour  Overseas,  October-December,  1920,  p.  50. 

"International  Labor  Office.     Daily  Intelligence,  March  21,  1921,  p.  8. 

^Labour  Overseas,  July-September,  1920,  p.  135. 


49 


AVERAGE    HOURLY    WAGES   FOR   METAL   INDUSTRY   IN   ZONE 
OCCUPIED  BY  BRITISH  TROOPS,  AUGUST,   1920 


Machine  shops 

Turners,  grinders,  etc 

Blacksmiths    and    Braziers 

Coppersmiths,    etc    

Foundries 

Moulders    

Casters   

Trimmers    

Trimmers'  assistants   

Semi-skilled   machinists    . . 

Machinists'  assistants 

Motor  repairs  and  coach 
building 

Artisans  

Semi-skilled    

Adult  assistants   

Electrical  industry 

Indoor  wiremen 

Fitters  and  Erectors 


Marks 


5.10to6.20 
5.75  "  8.00 
5.30  "  6.40 


5.50 
5.30 
5.15 
5.00 
5.00 
4.70 


3.50 

5.00 


7.75 
7.50 
6.30 
5.70 
6.00 
5.30 


6.40 
5.80 
5.60 

6.50 
6.50 


Dollars 


Par  of 

Exchange 


1.215  to  1.477 
1.370  "1.906 
1.263  "1.525 


1.310 
1.263 
1.227 
1.192 
1.192 
1.120 


'1.847 
"1.787 
'1.501 
"1.358 
"1.430 
"1.263 


1.525 
1.382 
1.334 


.834  "1.549 
1.192  "1.549 


Exchange 

1920-21 


.0958  to  .1164 

.1080  "  .1502 

.0995  "  .1202 

.1033  "  .1455 

.0995  "  .1409 

.0967  "  .1183 

.0939  "  .107 

.0939  "  .1127 

.0883  "  .0995 


.1202 
.1089 
.1052 

.0657  "  .1221 
.0939  "  .1221 


A  Swiss  report  gives  the  following  hourly  wages  for  the 
German  machine  industry  at  the  end  of  1920  :^ 


Certified  workers  over  20  years.... 
Non-certified  workers  over  20  years 
Average  for  adult  workers 


Marks 


6  to  8 
5  "  6 
6.20 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


1.430  to  1.906 
1.192  "1.430 
1.477 


Exchange 
1920-21 


.113  to  .150 

.094  "   .113 
.116 


Vehicle  Manufacturing 

The  following  hourly  wage  rates  in  the  Bremen  vehicle  in- 
dustry were  fixed  in  wage  agreements  concluded  between  Oc- 
tober 1,  1920,  and  January  1,  1921  r^ 

^L'Union  Centrale  des  Associations  patronales  suisses.     Bulletin  No. 
9,  p.  10. 
^Reichs-Arbeitsblatf,  December  27.  1920  to  February  15,  1921. 


SO 


HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    IN    BREMEN    VEHICLE-MAKING    INDUSTRY 

FIXED  BY  COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,  OCTOBER  1,   1920,  tO 

JANUARY  1,  1921 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Carriage  works 

Skilled   men    

5.05  to  5.30 
4.65  "  4.90 
3.00 

5.15  "  5.35 
4.95  "  5.15 
4.85  "  4.95 

5.30 
5.10 
4.90 
3.85 

1.203  to  1.263 
1.108  "1.168 
.715 

1.227  "1.275 
1.180  "1.227 
1.156  "1.180 

1.263 

1.215 

1.168 

.917 

.0948  to  .0995 

Unskilled    men    

.0873  "  .0920 

Women  over  20  years 

Wagon  making' 

Tool  makers,   turners,    etc. 

Planers,  polishers,  etc 

Laborers    

.0563 

.0967  "   .1005 
.0930  "   .0967 
.0911  "  .0930 

Automobile  works" 

Skilled   men    

.0995 

Trained  men    

Helpers    

.0958 
.0920 

Women 

.0723 

'Over  21  years.  Single  men  .05  mark  (par,  $.0119;  exchange  1920-21,  $.00094) 
per  hour  less. 

=Over  20  years.  Married  workers  .10  mark  (par,  $0,238;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.00188)  per  hour  additional  bonus,  and  .15  mark  (par,  $.0357;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.00282)  for  each  child  under  15  years. 

Shipbuilding 

At  the  end  of  October,  1920,  an  unauthorized  strike  of  2,000 
riveters  for  higher  piece-rates  broke  out  among  the  riveters  in 
the  Hamburg  shipyards.  At  the  end  of  December  wage  awards 
for  North  German  shipyards,  set  December  6,  were  declared 
binding  for  this  locahty  by  the  Ministry  of  Labor.  The  new 
rates  in  "first  class"  localities  were  as  follows  :^ 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled  workers  

4.80 

4.70 
♦  .50 

1.144 
1.120 
1.072 

.0901 

Semi-skilled  workers  

Unskilled  workers    

.0883 
.0845 

Electrical  Industry 

Wage  rates  for  the  electrical  industry  in  the  various  classes 
of  localities,  as  incorporated  in  a  national  wage  agreement  in 

^Labour  Overseas,  October-December,  1920,  p.  86. 


51 


July,  1921,  are  .shown  in  the  following  table.  Youths  from 
18  to  21  years  receive  .10  marks  (par,  $.024;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.002)  less,  according  to  this  agreement;  and  additional  cost- 
of-living  bonuses  are  fixed  at  9  marks  (par,  $2,145;  exchange 
1920-21,  $.1691)  per  week  for  the  wife,  and  twice  that  amount 
for  children. 

WAGE  RATES  IN  THE  ELECTRICAL  INDUSTRY  IN  VARIOUS  CLASSES 
OF   LOCALITIES,   JULY,    1921 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
E.xchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Class  I    

Class  II    

Class  III    

5.30  to  5.60 
5.10  "  5.40 
4.90  "  5.20 
4.70  "  5.00 
4.50  "  4.80 

1.263  to  1.334 
1.215  "  1.287 
1.168  "  1.264 
1 . 120  "  1 . 192 
1.072  "  1.144 

.0995  to  .1052 
.0958  "  .1014 
.0920  "  .100 

Class  IV    

Class  V     

.0883  "  .094 
.085    "  .0901 

52 


V 


TEXTILE  MANUFACTURING 

Great  Britain 


Cotton 


The  British  Ministry  of  Labour  states  that  changes  in  wage 
rates  for  workers  engaged  in  the  cotton  industry  have  gen- 
erally been  in  the  form  of  percentage  additions  to  standard 
base  price  lists.  In  July,  1914  hourly  wage  rates  stood  at  5% 
above  the  standard  base  piece  rates,  and  at  the  end  of  Decem- 
ber, 1920  they  had  been  raised  to  215%  above  the  standard. 
Of  this  increase,  30%  was  granted  in  1919  concurrently  with 
a  reduction  in  working  hours  from  55^  to  48,  in  order  to  main- 
tain weekly  wages  at  the  same  level  as  before.  In  addition, 
special  increases  or  allowances  were  granted  to  certain  classes 
of  operatives,  e.  g.,  blowing  room  men,  strippers  and  grinders, 
and  mule  spinners,  the  effect  of  which  was  to  augment  slightly 
the  increase  resulting  from  the  general  alterations  in  wages. 
In  May,  1920  an  increase  of  70%  on  list  prices  was  granted, 
(equivalent  to  nearly  30%  of  current  wages). ^ 

According  to  the  figures  furnished  by  the  United  States 
Trade  Commissioner  in  London  in  a  report  dated  February  8, 
1921,  the  following  weekly  wages  were  in  effect  in  the  cotton 
industry  :^ 


WEEKLY  WAGES  OF  SPINNERS  AND  LABORERS  IN   COTTON   INDUS- 
TRY,  FEBRUARY,    1921 


Pounds  and 
Shillings 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Spinners 
Mule    

5    0to6    0 

2  10  "  3  10 

3  0  "  4    0 

24.33  to  29.20 
12.17  "17.03 
14.60  "  19.47 

18  73  to  22  47 

Ring    

9  36  "  13  11 

Day   laborers 

11.24  "  14.98 

^Labour  Gazette. 

"Figures  from  the  Secretary  of  the  Association  of  Operative  Cotton 
Spinners  and  Weavers. 

S3 


Woolen  and  Worsted 

For  woolen  and  worsted  operators  in  Yorkshire,  "cost  of 
living"  wages  rise  and  fall  in  correspondence  with  fluctuations 
in  the  index  number  of  retail  prices  and  rents  published  by 
the  British  Ministry  of  Labour.  Taking  into  account  the 
increase  in  basic  rates,  as  well  as  the  cost  of  living  wage, 
the  general  increase  in  pre-war  rates  up  to  the  end  of  1920 
was  equivalent  to  approximately  201%  for  time-workers,  156% 
for  male  piece-workers  and  175%  for  female  piece-workers/ 

In  the  wool  combing  industry  at  Bradford  the  workers  re- 
ceived an  increase  of  175%  and  an  increase  in  basic  rates 
also.  In  addition  to  these  increases  a  general  advance  of  over 
15%  on  hourly  and  piece  rates  was  granted  in  March,  1919, 
concurrently  with  a  reduction  in  weekly  hours  from  55^  to 
48,  in  order  to  maintain  weekly  wages  at  the  same  level  as 
before.- 

However,  under  the  operation  of  sliding  scales,  by  which 
wages  fluctuate  in  correspondence  with  the  official  index  num- 
ber of  retail  prices  and  rents,  wages  had  been  reduced  ap- 
proximately 15%  from  January  1  to  May  1,  1921  on  hourly 
rates  of  wages  current  at  the  end  of  1920.^ 

In  a  report  dated  February  8,  1921,  the  United  States  Trade 
Commissioner  in  London  furnished  the  following  estimated 
averages  of  total  wages  per  48-hour  week  (including  war 
bonus)    for  workers   in  the  woolen   textile   industry.    These 


AVERAGE  WEEKLY  WAGES  IN   WOOL  TEXTILE  INDUSTRY, 
FEBRUARY,   1921 


Dollars 


Spinners 

Woolen^ 

Worsted'   

Weavers,  piece  rates 

Men   

Women   

Day  laborers' 


'Men. 

'Mostly  women  and  children. 

^Labour  Gazette,  February,  1921,  p.  63. 

'Idem., 

Hdcm.,   May,  1921. 

54 


16.48 
11.24 
15.73 


wage  rates  would  probably  show  a  10%  to  15%  decrease  by 
the  end  of  April. 

Full  time  weekly  wage  rates  in  various  branches  of  the 
woolen  and  worsted  industry,  and  in  various  localities,  after 
decreases  during  April,  1921,  are  reported  in  the  Labour  Ga- 
zette''^  as  follows : 

WEEKLY    WAGE    RATES     IN     WOOLEN     AND     WORSTED     INDUSTRY, 

APRIL,   1921 


Shillings 

Dollars 

Par  of 

Exchange 

and  Pence 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Wool  sorters 

Bradford,  Dews- 

bury,      Halifax 

and       Hydders- 

field 

Time-workers 

94 

7^ 

23.025 

\7.722 

Moltair     and     al- 

paca sorters 

West    Riding   of 

Yorkshire 

Time-workers 

94 

7/2 

23.025 

\7.722 

Wool    carbonizing 

West    Riding   of 

Yorkshire 

Skilled        men 

and       ware- 

housemen   . . 

79 

2 

19.263 

14.827 

Semi  -   skilled 

men 

76 

3 

18.554 

14.280 

Unskilled  men. 

73 

2 

17.803 

13.703 

Wool      combing 

and   scouring 

West    Riding   of 

Yorkshire 

Bowl     minders 

With  dryer    . 

79 

10 

19.425 

14.952 

Without  dryer 

78 

8 

19.141 

14.733 

Card    grinders 

Wool  cards   . 

82 

1 

19.973 

15.373 

Iron  cards   . . 

87 

3 

21.230 

16.347 

Comb   minders 

With   noil  . . . 

Without  noil. 

Card  jobbers. . 

(8  or  more)  . 

78 

8 

19.141 

14.733 

Warehousemen 

72    8     to  79 

4 

17.682  to  19.304 

13. 609  to  14.858 

Women 

Comb  Minders 

49  11      "  55 

8 

12.146  "  13.545 

9.349  "  10.426 

Others 

48    8      "  51 

8 

11.842  "  12.572 

9.115  "    9.676 

Worsted    spinning 

Yorkshire  

Yarn          ware- 

housemen     

81 

4H 

19.80 

15.240 

'^Labotir  Gazette,  February,  1921,  p.  65. 

55 


WEEKLY    WAGE    RATES    IN     WOOLEN     AND     WORSTED    INDUSTRY, 

APRiL^  1921 — Continued 


Shil 

inirs 

Dollars 

Par  of 

Exchange 

and  Pence 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Woolen    spinning, 

woolen  and  zvor- 

sted      manufac- 

ture,and  Mungo 

and   shoddy   in- 

dustries 

Yorkshire        and 

Lancashire 

Men,    over    21 
years'    

75 

0 

to  78 

1/2 

18.249  to  19.010 

14. 046  to  14.632 

Women,      over 

18  years    . . . 

45  IVA 

11.182 

8.607 

Mechanics   in 

woolen       and 

zuorsted     indus- 

try 

Yorkshire' 

Firemen       and 

greasers    . . . 
Day    shift    . . 

82 
82 

6 

7/2 

20.374 
20.105 

15.451 
15.474 

Night    shift.. 

85 

1/2 

20.713 

15.943 

Enginemen 

Time  rates 

Day  shift  . . 

85 

m 

or  88 

4^ 

20.713  or  21. 504 

15.943  or  16.551 

Night  shift.. 

87 

7K2 

"  91 

1 

21.321  "  22.163 

16.411  "  17.059 

Standing 

wages 
Day  shift  ... 

91 

9y2 

or  95 

3 

22.335  or  23. 177 

17. 183  or  17.839 

Night  shift    . 

94 

1K2 

"  97 

6/ 

22.903  "  23.734 

17.628  "  18.268 

Flannel   industry 

Wales  (min.  time 

rate) 

Men,  21   years 

and   over    . . 

58 

10 

14.316 

11.019 

Stokers   

63 

8 

15.492 

11.924 

Tmiers  

69 

5 

16.891 

13.001 

Wool   sorters. 

66 

7 

16.201 

12.470 

Women,         19 

years        and 

over   

29 

0 

7.056 

5.431 

'Minimum  rate. 

Bleaching,  Dyeing  and  Finishing 

In  the  bleaching,  dyeing,  printing  and  finishing  sections  also, 
wages  are  varied  in  accordance  with  the  fluctuations  in  cost 
of  hving.  In  Lancashire,  Cheshire,  Derbyshire,  and  Scotland, 
the  increases  over  pre-war  weekly  rates  at  the  end  of  De- 
cember, 1920  were  49  shillings,  7  pence  (par,  $12.07;  exchange 

56 


1920-21,  $9.29)  for  men,  and  29  shillings,  6  pence  (par,  $7,179; 
exchange  1920-21,  $5.52)  for  women,  with  certain  additions 
to  basic  rates.  In  Yorkshire,  the  increases  over  the  pre-war 
rates  (including  the  "cost  of  Hving"  wage  and  the  increases 
in  basic  rates)  amounted  to  177%  for  time-workers  and  138% 
for  piece-workers. 

The  following  tabulation  of  full-time  weekly  wage-rates  for 
various  branches  of  the  trade  and  in  various  localities  was 
compiled  from  the  reports  of  wage  decreases  in  the  Labour 
Gazette : 

WEEKLY  WAGE  RATES  IN  TEXTILE  DYEING  AND  FINISHING,  APRIL, 

1921 


shillings 

Dollars 

< 

Par  of 

Exchange 

and   Pence 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Bleaching,    dyeing,    cal- 

ico   printing   and   fin- 

ishing 

Lancashire,     Cheshire 

and   Derbyshire' 

Males,  21  years  and 

over  

68 

3 

16.607 

12.782 

Females,    18    years 

and  over    

41 

11 

10.199 

7.850 

Scotland 

Men,     timeworkers, 

21  years  and  over. 

65 

3 

15.877 

12.220 

Women,     timework 

ers,    18  years    and 

over   

38 

11 

9.469 

7.288 

Workpeople      in      grey 

room,  and   stock,  pat- 

tern,    making-up,    and 

packing  departments  . 

Bradford 

Men,  21   years  and 

over  

79 

8 

19.385 

14.920 

Silk    dyeing 

Leek' 

Dyers  and  glossers. 

65 

0  to  67  0 

15. 816  to  16.303 

12. 174  to  12.548 

Adult  mixers    

67 

0  "  75  0 

16.303  "18.249 

12.548  "  14.046 

Dyeing  machinemen 

67 

6  "  69  6 

15.424  "16.911 

12.642  "  13.016 

^Minimum  rate. 


The  following  full  time  weekly  wage  rates  for  the  making- 
up  and  packing  industry  in  Manchester  are  reported  in  the 
Labour  Gazette: 


57 


WEEKLY  WAGE  RATES   IN   THE  MAKING-UP  AND  PACKING 
INDUSTRY,   MANCHESTER,  JANUARY,   1921 


Dollars 


Men,  21  years  and  over 

Hydraulic  packers  and  makers-up 
(prints)     

Makers-up,  greys  

Clothlookers     

Markers-off,  stampers  and  pressers- 
off  

Hoistmen,  plaiters,  cutters  and  lappers 

General  warehousemen  

Porters    

Women,  18  years  and  over 

Markers   ofiF    

Cutters    

Stitchers,  plaiters,  tiers-up,  parcel- 
lers,  sorters  and  tapers 

General  hookers   

D'hootie  hookers  


15.59 
14.81 
14.55 
13.78 

9.15 
8.63 

8.37 
8.10 
7.59 


Other  Textile  Trades 

Up  to  the  end  of  1920,  hosiery  workers  in  Leicestershire, 
Nottinghamshire  and  Derbyshire  had  received  an  increase  of 
125%  over  pre-war  rates.  Those  engaged  in  the  manufactur- 
ing of  carpets  had  received  advances  of  from  155%  to  160%.^ 

Under  sliding  scale  arrangements,  similar  to  those  in  other 
branches  of  the  textile  trade,  there  were  decreases  in  the  wages 
of  silk-workers  at  Brighouse  and  Leek,  and  linen-workers  at 
Kirkcaldy,  during  March,  1921.  Full  time  weekly  wage  rates 
for  these  industries  in  specified  localities,  as  published  in  the 
British  Labour  Gazette,^  are  given  below. 


Hosiery 

The  minimum  hourly  wage  rates  for  time-workers  in  the 
hosiery  industry  in  Dumfries  and  Maxwelltown  efifective  in 
December,  1920,  were  reported  as  follows  •} 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Men  

1  2 
8 

.284 

.162 

.218 

Women    

.125 

^Labour  Gazette,  February,  1921, 

S 

p.  63. 
8 

Silk 


WEEKLY  WAGE  RATES  IN  THE  SILK  INDUSTRY,  MARCH,   1921 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Silk 
Brighouse 
Male 

First  f ramers  

Warehousemen    

Boilermen  and  machine-men...  . 
Female 

Timeworkers 

Gassers   

Warpers    

Reelers 

Winders    

Piece-workers — 15%   over  above.... 
Leek' 

Men,  22  years  and  over 

Pickers    

Braidworkers    

Braid  speeders  and  knitting  tackers 

Millmen    

Weavers   

Women,  18  years  and  over 

Linen 

Kirkcaldy  and  district 

Tenters  and  dressers    

Lappers  and  finishers  

Laborers  


90  3 
81  5 
83    5 


52  10^ 
48    4J^ 
41    8 
40    7 


62  0 

64  6 
71  0 

65  0 
69  0 
39  0 


74  0 
70  0 
61    0 


21.97 
19.81 
20.30 


12.87 

11.77 

10.14 

9.88 


15.33 
15.69 
17.28 
15.82 
16.79 
9.49 


18.01 
17.03 
14.84 


16.90 
15.25 
15.62 


9.90 
9.06 
7.80 
7.60 


11.80 
12.08 
13.30 
12.17 
12.92 
7.30 


13.86 
13.11 
11.42 


'Minimum  time     rates. 


Jute 

The  following  estimated  average  weekly  wages  in  the  jute 
industry  at  Dundee  were  given  in  a  report  of  the  U.  S.  Trade 
Commissioner  in  London,  dated  February  8,  1921  •} 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Spinners,  time  workers   . 
Weavers,  piece-workers  . 

45  0 

45  0  to  50  0 

10.95 

10.95  to  12. 17 

8.43 

8.43to9.36 

The  following  minimum  hourly  rates  for  women  in  the 
flax  and  hemp  industry  in  Ireland  were  set  under  the  Trades 
Boards  Acts,  January  24,   1921.- 

^Estimated   average    rates,    furnished   by   the    Secretary,   Dundee  and 
District  Union  of  Jute  and  Flax  Workers. 
^Labour  Gazette,  February,  1921,  p.  96. 

59 


MINIMUM   HOURLY  RATES  FOR  WOMEN  IN  THE  FLAX  AND  HEMP 
INDUSTRY   IN   IRELAND,  JANUARY,    1921 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Preparers 

Spreaders  and  carders    .... 

Rovers  and  drawers    

DofFers 

Spinners 

Spinners  and  twisters   

Piecers   

Layers    

Dofifers 

Driers,  reclors  and  winders 

Machine  yarn  driers    

Reelcrs  and  wet  winders... 

Hank  winders   

All  others  except  in  weaving 
department 

Under    18    

Over  18  


7^to8i4 
1%  "8 
5      "6J4 

734  "  83/4 

7  "  8^ 

Wa  "  m 
m "  m 

ly^  "  8 

8  "  8^ 


5      "  53^ 
W2  "  7 


.  147  to  .  167 
.147  ".162 
.101  "  .127 

.157  "  .178 
.142  "  .167 
.117  "  .147 
.112  "  .137 

.157  "  .178 
.147  "  .162 
.162  "  .167 


.101  "  .112 
,  132  "  .  142 


.113  to  .129 

.113  "  .125 

.078  "  .098 

.121  "  .137 

.109  "  .129 

.090  "  .113 

.086  "  .105 

.121  "  .137 

.113  "  .125 

.125  "  .129 


.078  "  .086 
.101  "  .109 


By  an  order  under  the  Trade  Boards  Acts  of  April  2,  1921, 
the  following  wage  rates  for  workers  in  the  rope,  twine  and 
net  making  industry,  were  fixed  for  all  of  Great  Britain.  These 
rates  show  an  increase  over  the  previous  rates,  which  were 
set  in  March,  1920. 


MINIMUM   HOURLY  RATES  IN  THE  ROPE,  TWINE  AND  NET  MAK- 
ING INDUSTRY,  APRIL,  1921 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Time  workers 

Men,  21  years  and  over   

Women    homeworkers    

Pieceworkers 

Men  

1  3 

0  8K 

1  4 

.304 
.172 

.324 

.234 
.133 

250 

France 

Wage  data  for  the  French  textile  industry  presented  in  this 
section  are  principally  from  reports  of  United  States  official 
representatives. 

The  Secretary  of  the  French  Textile  Workers'  Federation, 
in  furnishing  the  wage  data  given  below,  stated  that  it  was  pos- 
sible to  give  only  approximate  figures  of  wages  in  this  industry, 

60 


as  they  varied  widely  in  different  parts  of  the  country.  The 
following-  figures  give  hourly  rates  for  a  48-hour  week  in 
the  various  brandies  of  the  textile  industry,  as  of  about  Feb- 
ruary 1,  1921 :' 

HOURLY    WAGES    IN    FRENCH    TEXTILE    INDUSTRIES,    FEBRUARY, 

1921 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Cotton 

Spinners^    

1.88  to  2.62 
1.88  "  2.00 
1.88  "  2.00 

1.88  "  3.12 
2.00  "  2.55 
2.25  "  2.55 

2.12  "  2.55 
3.12  "  3.75 
1.88  "  2.37 

2.50  "  3.12 
3.12  "  3.75 

.363  to  .506 
.363  "  .386 
.363  "  .386 

.363  "  .602 
.386  "  .492 
.434  "  .492 

.409  "  .492 
.602  "  .724 
.363  "  .457 

.483  "  .602 
.602  "  .724 

.130  to  .182 

Weavers  

Day   laborers    

.130  "  .139 
.130  "  .139 

Wool 

Spinners   

.130  "  .216 

Weavers    

.139  "  .177 

Day  laborers    

.156  "  .177 

Silk 

Weavers   

Loom-fixers  

.147  "  .177 
.216  "  .260 

Soft  silk  winders  

Lace  (Calais  Machine) 
Operators    

.130  "  .164 
.173  "  .216 

Erectors  and  repairers... 

.216  "  .260 

'Whether  boys  and  according  to  skill. 

According  to  figures  from  the  United  States  Department  of 
Commerce,  average  hourly  wage  rates  in  the  French  cotton  in- 
dustry in  1921  were  as  follows : 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Weaving 
Dyeing  . . 
Finishing 


1.46to2.65 
2.17  "  2.65 
1.40  "  2.25 


.282  to  .511 
.419  "  .511 
.270  "  .434 


.101  to  .184 
.150  "  .184 
.097  "  .156 


The  following  figures  for  average  hourly  rates  in  the  woolen 
textile  industry  are  from  the  same  source : 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Spinners 
Combed  wool    

2.35  to  3.50 
2.50  "  3.28 
2.17  "  2.65 
1.40  "  2.25 

.454  to  .676 
.483  "  .233 
.419  "  .511 
.270  "  .434 

.163  to  .243 

Carded   wool    

.173  "  .228 

Dyers    

.150  "  .184 

Finishers    

.097  "  .156 

^Data  from  French  Textile  Workers'  Federation,  reported  by  United 
States  Commercial  Attache,  Paris,  Feb.  3,  1921. 

61 


In  an  agreement  covering  silk  weaving  for  the  Charlieu 
(l.oirc'j  region,  dated  November  3,  1920,  provision  was  made 
lor  the  establishment  of  a  commission  to  determine  the  varia- 
tions in  the  cost  of  living.  This  commission  found  that  the 
fluctuation  of  expenses  during  the  period  May  1  to  September 
1,  1920  was  more  than  10.8%  and  decided  upon  an  increase  in 
wages  in  consequence.^  An  agreement  in  the  cotton  industry  in 
Lille,  November  20,  1920  also  made  provision  for  revision 
of  wage  rates  in  case  of  increase  in  the  official  figure  for  the 
cost  of  living.^ 

The  following  daily  wage  rates  for  the  silk  industry,  fixed 
by  collective  agreement  in  March  and  April  of  1920,  are  re- 
ported in  the  Bulletin  of  the  French  Ministry  of  Labor  :^ 


Dollars 

Francs 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Weaving  and  throwing,  Lyon'...    12 to  18 
Weaving,  Oullins    (Rhone)"   16  "  17 

2.316  to  3.474      .832  to  1.247 
3.088  "3.281    1.109  "  1.178 

^Minimum  rates. 
^Normal  wage. 

According  to  figures  from  the  American  consul  at  Lyon, 
France,  in  1920,  the  following  scale  of  minimum  wages  was 
in  force  in  the  silk  industry  in  that  city,  as  a  result  of  a  strike 

MINIMUM  DAILY  WAGE  RATES  IN  THE  SILK  INDUSTRY  IN  LYON, 
FRANCE,  1920 


Dollars 


Drying  and  testing   , 

Silk  throwing  and  twisting.. 

Weaving 

Reel  men  and  reel  women  . . 

Throwers  and  twisters   

Warpers  

Winders  or  spinners   

Twillers  

Sorters  

Warp    folders    

Reelers  

Weighers  


^Bulletin  du  Ministere  du  Travail,  November-December,  1920,  p.  547. 
^Idem.,  p.  548. 
^Idem.,  p.  547. 


62 


in  1919.  According  to  the  figures  from  the  later  wage  agree- 
ment given  above,  however,  wages  for  silk  throwing  and 
weaving  have  been  increased  2  francs  per  day  or  .25  francs 
per  hour  over  this  schedule.^ 

A  Swiss  report  states  that  the  average  hourly  wage  for 
skilled  silk  dyers  in  France  at  the  end  of  1920  was  2.25  francs 
(par,  $.434;  exchange  1920-21,  $.156).- 

According  to  figures  from  the  United  States  Consul,  Mar- 
seilles, France,  March  8,  1921,  wages  paid  to  cotton  thread  mill 
operatives  in  Marseilles  range  from  8  to  12  francs  (par,  $1,544 
to  $2,316;  exchange  1920-21,  $.554  to  $.832)  per  8-hour  day.^ 

In  a  report  of  the  visit  of  representatives  of  the  British 
woolen  and  worsted  trades  to  Roubaix  and  Tourcoing  (the 
headquarters  of  the  French  wool-textile  industry),  mention 
is  made  of  a  body  known  as  the  Consortium  of  Textile  In- 
dustry, with  headquarters  at  Tourcoing.  This  body  embraces 
the  principal  employers'  associations  and  includes  312  mills 
employing  68,000  men  and  women.  The  Consortium  deals 
with  all  wage  questions  concerning  the  affiliated  firms,  and 
decides  labor  conditions  in  the  industry.  It  publishes  periodical 
returns  of  the  average  wages  in  force  in  each  mill,  and  per- 
forms many  other  duties  in  connection  with  wages.  It  pays 
a  bonus  of  3  francs  (par,  $.579;  exchange  1920-21,  $.208)  per 
working-day  per  child  under  13  years  of  age  to  the  head  of 
the  family  working  in  any  of  the  mills ;  this  is  paid  direct  to 
the  employee  by  the  employer  at  the  end  of  each  month.  There 
is  also  a  premium  of  200  francs  (par,  $38.60;  exchange  1920- 
21,  $.13.86)  paid  to  the  head  of  the  family  at  the  birth  of  each 
child." 

Germany 

Statistics  of  wages  in  the  German  textile  industry,  as  of 
February,  1921,  were  secured  by  the  Statistische  Reichsamt^ 
from    1,327   establishments    with   222,820   employees.      Only 

'Figures  from  United  States  Consul  at  Lyon,  France,  published  in 
Monthly  Labor  Reviczi.;  October.  1920,  p.  135. 

^L'Union  Centrale  des  Association  patronales  suisses.  Bulletin  No.  9, 
p.  11. 

^United  States.  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce.  Com- 
merce Reports,  April   11.  1921. 

*United  States  Consul,  Bradford,  England  in  Commerce  Reports, 
March  11,  1921. 

Tederal  Statistical  Bureau. 

63 


16,144  of  these  employees  were  reported,  of  whom  42%  were 
male  and  58%  female.  Of  the  male  workers  57%  and  of  the 
female  workers  53%  were  pieceworkers.  Wages  and  earnings 
varied  greatly  at  different  places.  The  average  hourly  wages 
in  the  various  localities  ranged  as  follows,  although,  as  may 


AVERAGE    HOURLY    WAGES    IN    GERMAN    TEXTILE    INDUSTRY, 
FEBRUARY,   1920 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Finishers 

Men 
Timework 
Piecework 

Women 
Timework 
Piecework 
Carders 

Men 
Timework 
Piecework 

Women 
Timework 
Piecework 
Shearers 

Men 
Timework 
Piecework 

Women 
Timework 
Piecework 
Spinners 

Men 

Timework 
Piecework 

Women 
Timework 
Piecework 
Weavers 

Men 
Timework 
Piecework 

Women 
Timework 
Piecework 


2.08to4.00 
2.67  "  3.85 

1.34  "  2.42 
1.66  "  3.02 


1.96  "  3.61 
3.10  "  2,.Z7 

1.50  "  2.57 
1.98  "  2.89 


2.00  "  Z.77 
2.77  "  4.47 

2.00  "  2.70 
1.74  "  3.63 


2.23  "  3.91 
2.15  "  3.80 

1.36  "  2.49 
1.45  "  2.59 


1.98  "  3.87 
2.60  "  5.14 

1.38  "  3.00 
1.34  "  3.52 


.495  to  .952 
.635  "  .916 

.319  "  .576 
.395  "  .719 


.466  "  .859 
.738  ".802 

.357  "  .612 
.471  ".687 


.476  "  .897 
.659  "1.063 

.476  "  .643 
.414  "  .864 


.531  "  .931 
,512  "  .904 

.324  "  .593 
.345  "  .616 


.471  " .921 
.619  "1.223 

.328  ".714 
.319  "  .838 


.03910.075 
.050  "  .072 

.025  "  .045 
.031  "  .057 


.037  "  .068 

.058  "  .063 

.028  "  .048 

.037  "  .054 


.038  "  .071 

.052  "  .084 

.038  "  .051 

.033  "  .068 


.042  "  .073 

.040  "  .071 

.026  "  .047 

.027  "  .049 


.037  "  .073 

.049  "  .097 

.026  "  .056 

.025  "  .066 


64 


be  seen  from  the  other  figures  presented  in  this  section,  wages 
had  substantially  increased  between  this  date  and  the  end  of 
1920,  probably  about  50%.^  Average  monthly  earnings  on  this 
basis  are  shown  below  : 

AVERAGE   MONTHLY    (FOUR   WEEKS )    EARNINGS   IN   GERMAN 
TEXTILE  INDUSTRY,  FEBRUARY,  1920 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Finishers 

Alen 

Timework 
Piecework 

Women 
Timework 
Piecework 
Carders 

Men 
Timework 
Piecework 

Women 
Timework 
Piecework 
Shearers 

Men 
Timework 
Piecework 

Women 
Timework 
Piecework 
Spinners 

Men 
Timework 
Piecework 

Women 
Timework 
Piecework 
Weavers 

Men 
Timework 
Piecework 

Women 
Timework 
Piecework 


390  to  667 
465  "  708 

256  "  416 
193  "  512 


347  "  661 
584  "  621 

250  "  454 
352  "  463 


368  "  672 

479 "  m 


92. 82  to  158.75 
110.67  "168.50 

60.93  "  99.01 
45.93  "121.86 


82.59  "157.32 
138.99  "  147.80 

59.50  "108.05 
83.78  "110.19 


87.58  "  159.94 
114.00  "183.97 


345 
296 


492 
613 


429  "  706 
360  "  662 

229  "  448 
253  "  459 


343  "  614 
471  "  944 

241  "  544 
227  "  585 


82.11 
70.45 


102.10 
85.68 


117.10 
145.89 


168.03 
157.56 


54.50  "161.13 
60.21  "109.24 


81.63  "146.13 
112.10  "224.67 

57.36  "129.47 
54.03  "139.23 


7. 32  to  12.53 
8.73  "  13.30 


4.81 
3.62 


7.81 
9.62 


6.52  "  12.41 

10.97  "  11.66 

4.70  "  8.53 

6.61  "  8.70 


6.91  "  12.62 
9.00  "  14.52 

6.48  "    9.24 
5.56  "  11.51 


8.06  "  13.26 
6.76  "  12.43 

4.30  "    8.41 
4.75  "    8.62 


6.44  "  11.53 
8.85  "  17.73 

4.53  "  10.22 
4.26  "  10.99 


'United  States  Consul,  Berlin,  March  10,  1921,  in  Commerce  Reports, 
April  8,  1921,  p.  150. 


65 


The  following  hourly  wage  rates,  fixed  by  collective  agree- 
ment to  take  effect  on  dates  between  December  7,  1920  and 
March  1,  1921,  have  been  reported  in  the  Reichs-Arbeitsblatt. 
Range  of  rates  between  workers  of  various  ages  and  different 
degrees  of  skill  are  indicated.  Rates  vary  between  localities 
mainly  according  to  the  cost  of  living. 


HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    FOR    THE    TEXTILE    INDUSTRY    FIXED    BY 

COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT  IN  SPECIFIED  LOCALITIES,  DECEMBER, 

1920  TO  MARCH,   1921 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Thiiringcn' 

Men    

Women    

Artisans    

4. 10  to  4.40 
2.80  "  3.10 
4.50  "  5.20 
4.60  "  5.20 

5.60  "  6.10 
3.50 

5.25 
4.00 

3.60  "  4.00 
4.00  "  4.40 

3.50  "  3.90 

6.00 

.10 

5.80 

5.50 
4.25 

4.15 
4.00 

3.90 
3.80 

.976  to  1.047 

.666  "    .738 

1.072  "1.239 

1.095  "1.239 

1.333 
.833 

1.250 
.925 

.857  "    .952 
.952  "1.047 

.834  "    .929 

1.428 
.0238 
1.380 

1.309 
1.012 

.988 
.952 

.928 
.904 

.077  to  .083 
.053  "  .058 
.085  "  .098 

Machinists   

Harburg" 

Men  

Women    

Euskirchen  and  vicinity^ 
Weavers  on  power  looms 

Men  

Women    

.086  "  .098 

.105 
.066 

.099 
.075 

Carders,     willowers     (men), 
and  pickers,  spinners,  twis- 
ters,   (women)    

Warpers,    winders    (women) 

Burlers,        cloth        shearers 

(women)     

Reichcnbach  and  vicinity'^ 

(Wool  spinning) 

Mule  spinners 

Up  to  4  machines 

For  each  further  machine. 

Card  strippers    

Willowers,    pickers,    carders, 

dusters    

Men    

.068  "  .075 
.075  "  .083 

.066  "  .073 

.113 

.0019 

.109 

103 

Women 

Spoolers 

Men     

Women    

Feeders 

Men  

.080 

.078 
.075 

.073 
.071 

Women    

^Workers  20  years  and  over.  Base  rate  plus  cost  of  living  bonus.  Rates  vary 
according  to  locality.  Family  bonus  6  marks  (par,  $1,428;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.113)   per  week  for  each  person  requiring  support. 

^Workers  20  years  and  over.  Family  bonus:  8  marks  (par,  $1,904;  exchange 
1920-21,  $.150)  per  week  for  wife  and  16  marks  (par,  $3,808:  exchange  1920-21, 
$.300)  for  each  child. 

^'Family  allowance:  man  and  wife  10  marks  (par,  $2.38;  exchange  1920-21,  $188) 
per  week;  each  child  7  marks  (par.  $1,666;  exchange  1920-21,  $.131).  If  worker 
IS  sole  support  of  family  10  marks   (par,  $2,380;  exchange  1920-21,  $.188)  extra. 

^Workers  over  20  years  of  age. 

66 


HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    FOR    THE    TEXTILE    INDUSTRY    FIXED    BY 
COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT  IN  SPECIFIED  LOCALITIES,  DECEMBER, 

1920  TO  MARCH,  1921 — Continued 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 

Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


twis- 


Miinsterlancf 
Weaving* 

Men  

Women    

Spooling  and  reeling 

Cotton    

Linen    

Spinning 
Men 

Mule  spinners    . . . 
Throstle    spinners, 

ters,   drawers    

Women 

Spinners,   drawers    

Jute  Spinning 

Men    

Women  

Silk  hand  weavers  

Helpers 

Men  

Women    

Artisans  over  23  years 

Bremen^ 

(Wool  combing) 
Artisans  and   stakers   over 

20  years   

Trained  workers  

Hand  workers  over  years. 

Women  over  20  years 

Sorters 

Men     

Women    

Lcsum  near  Bremen* 
(Wool  scouring) 

Artisans  

Workers 

Men    

Women 

Sorters,  women   

Bremen^ 

(Rope  factory) 
Men 

Skilled    

Other    

Women    


4.25to4.50 
3.65  "  3.90 


4.68  "  4.95 
4.89  "  5.18 


5.15to5.40 
4.25  "  4.50 
3.65  "  3.95 


4.25 
3.40 
3.65 

4.25 
3.05 
4.75 


4.50 
3.90 
3.90 

4.50 
3.30 
6.00 


6.15 
5.70 
5.50 
3.80 

5.50  to  5.80 
3.70  "  4.10 


5.50 

5.00 
3.40 
3.90 


5.40 
5.30 
3.35 


1.012  to  1.071 
.869  "    .928 

1.114  "1.178 
1.164  "1.233 


1.225  to  1.285 
1.012  "1.071 


.869 


.928 


1.012  "1.071 
.810  "  .928 
.869  "    .928 

1.012  "1.071 

.726  "    .786 

1.132  "1.428 


1.466 
1.358 

.311 

.906 

1.309  to  1.380 
.881  "    .976 


1.309 

1.190 
.810 
.928 


1.285 

1.262 

.797 


.080  to  .085 
.069  "  .073 

.088  "  .093 
.092  "  .097 


.097  to  .101 
.080  "  .085 
.069  "  .073 


.080 
.064 
.069 

.080 
.057 
.089 


.085 
.073 
.073 

.085 
.062 
.113 


.115 
.107 
.103 
.071 

.  103  to  .  109 
.069  "  .077 


.103 

.094 
.064 
.073 


.101 
.099 
.063 


'Workers  over  20  years  of  age.  Family  bonus  1.50  marks  (par,  $.357;  exchange 
1920-21,  $.028)   per  day  for  each  child. 

^Time  work.      Rate   varies  according  to  locality. 

^Certain  designated  classes  of  workers  receive  from  .10  to  .20  marks  (par,  $.0238 
to  .0476;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.0019  to  .0038)  higher  than  their  group.  Family 
allowance  for  married  workers  of  50  marks  (par,  $11.90;  exchange  1920-21,  $.939) 
per  month,  and  the  same  amount  for  each  child  under   15   years. 

■•Workers  over  20  years  of  age.  Head  workers  on  the  scouring  machines,  and  all 
workers,  men  and  women,  in  the  willowing  and  carbonizing  sections  receive  .20 
marks  (par,  $.0476;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.0038)  extra  per  hour.  The  first  five 
sorters  receive   .10  marks   (par,   $.0238;   exchange   1920-21,   $.0019)    extra  per  hour. 

"^Workers  over  20  years  of  age. 

67 


HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    FOR    THE    TEXTILE    INDUSTRY    FIXED    BY 
COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT  IN   SPECIFIED  LOCALITIES,  DECEMBER, 

1920  TO  MARCH,  1921 — Continued 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Saxony 

(Hand  printing) 

Men 

5.50  "  6.00 

1.309  "1.428 

.103  "  .113 

Women    

4.10 

.976 

.077 

Stettin' 

(Hemp    spinning    and    rope 

manufacture) 

Workers,  men   

5.00 

1.190 

.094 

Helpers 

Men 

3.70 
3.00 

.881 
.714 

.069 

Women    

.056 

Hainichcri' 

(Cloth  and  flannel) 

Spinning 

Men 

Willowers     

5.20 

1.238 

.098 

Card  strippers 

5.70 

1.356 

.107 

Spinners 

Up  to  4  machines . . 

5.80 

1.380 

.109 

Each     further     ma- 

chine   

.10 
5.10 

.0238 
1.213 

.0019 

Spinners'  helpers 

.096 

Women 

Sorters   

3.50 

.833 

.066 

Piecers  

3.60 

.858 

.068 

Ring  spinners,  creelers 

and    twisters    

3.60 

.904 

.071 

Carders  

3.90 

.928 

.073 

Willowers    

4.00 
3.80 

.952 
.904 

.075 

Spinners'  helpers    .... 

.071 

Weaving 

Weavers 

Men    

5.20 
4.30 

1.238 
1.023 

.098 

Women    

.081 

Helpers 

Men 

5.10 

1.213 

.096 

Women    

3.80 

.904 

.071 

Warpers,  women    

4.00 

.952 

.075 

Sizers,  men  

5.40 

1.285 

.101 

Dyeing  and  finishing 

Stitchers,   seamstresses.. 

3.60 

.857 

.068 

Skilled    sewers,    women. 

3.80 

.904 

.071 

Fullers,   men    

5.60 
5.40 

1.333 
1.285 

105 

Scourers  

.101    . 

Dyeing  and  drying  helpers 

Men 

5.30 

1.262 

.099 

Finishing   helpers 

Men    

5.10 

1.213 

.096 

Women    

3.80 

.904 

.071 

^Workers  over  20  years  of  age. 


68 


Certain  wage  rates  for  the  German  textile  industry  have 
been  reported  in  Labour  Overseas.  The  following  hourly 
wages  were  in  effect  in  the  zone  occupied  by  British  troops 
(Cologne  district)  in  August,  1920:^ 

AVERAGE   HOURLY  WAGES  IN  TEXTILE  INDUSTRY  IN  ZONE 
OCCUPIED   BY    BRITISH    TROOPS,    AUGUST,    1920 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled 
Men   

6.10 

3.50 

5.60 
3.50 

5.06 
3.30 

1.452 
.833 

1.333 
.833 

1.205 
.786 

.115 

Women   

.066 

Semi-skilled 
Men   

.105 

Women  

Unskilled 

Men   

.066 
.095 

Women   

.062 

Hourly  rates  for  "Class  I"  districts  in  Southern  Bavaria  in 
July,  1920,  were  reported  as  follows :- 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Men 

Up  to  25  years    

Over  25  years 

Women 

Up  to  25  years 

Over  25  years    

3.70 
4.00 

2.60 
2.80 

.881 
.952 

.619 
.666 

.069 

.075 

.049 
.053 

The  following  figures  are  taken  from  a  wage  table  for 
Saxony  contained  in  a  periodical  report  of  the  International 
Federation  of  Textile  Workers'  Association  :^ 

WEEKLY  WAGES  IN  THE  TEXTILE  INDUSTRY  IN  SAXONY, 
SPRING,    1920 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Men 

Cotton  spinners 

Over  20    

Between  18  and  20. 

Helpers    

Cloth    weavers    

Women    


241.96 
193.20 

92. 00  to  161.00 
202.40 
174.80 


57.59 

45.98 

21. 90  to  38. 32 

48.17 

41.60 


4.54 

3.63 

1.73  to  3.02 

3.80 

3.28 


^Labour  Overseas^  July- September,  1920,  p.  135. 
''Idem.,  p.  47. 

^Idem.,  October-December,  1920,  p.  47. 

69 


Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

.952 

.075 

.714 

.056 

Details  of   a  collective  agreement   for  the  textile  industry 

in  the  district  on  the  right  bank  of  the  Rhine,  dated  October 

1,  1920,  are  given  below : 

1.  The  basic  scale  of  minimum  hourly  time  rates  for  workers  over  20 
years  of  age,  to  which  must  be  added  cost  of  Hving  bonus  and  family 
allowances,  were  as  follows :' 

Dollars 

Marks 

Men  4.00 

Women    3 .  00 

Z.  The  cusl-of-liviny  bonus  for  workers  over  20  years  of  age  was 
1.30  marks  (par,  $.309;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.024)  per  hour  for  men 
time  workers  receiving  4  marks  per  hour,  and  1.15  marks  (par,  $.274; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.022)  fur  other  male  workers.  Women  received 
.90  marks   (par,  $.214;  exchange  1920-21,  $.017). 

3.  family  alloivance  in  addition  to  the  above  was  5  marks  (par,  $1,190; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.094)  per  week  for  husband  or  wife  who  was  not 
working,  and  for  each  child  less  than  14  years  of  age. 

4.  There  arc  four  classes  of  towns,  in  three  of  which  classes  the  above 
basic  rates  were  to  be  reduced  by  .20  and  .40  marks  (par,  $.0476,  $.0714 
and  $.0952;   exchange    1920-21,  $.0038,  $.0056  and  $.0075)    respectively. 

5.  As  a  rule  piccc-ivork  rates  were  the  same  for  both  men  and  women, 
and  were  fixed  so  that  an  average  worker  could  earn  up  to  15%  more 
than  the  fixed  time  work  rates. 

6.  Base  wage  rates  set  for  certain  branches  of  the  industry  by  this 
agreement  are  as  follows  : 


HOURLY    W^AGE    RATES    IN    THE    GERMAN    TEXTILE    INDUSTRY    IN 
DISTRICT  ON   RIGHT  BANK  OF  RHINE,  OCTOBER,    1920 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Piece     dyeing     and     finishing 
Men  20  years  and  over 

First  year   

After  first  year 

Skilled  men    

4.00 
4.30 
4.60 
5.10 
4.60 

4.30 

4.50 
4.30 

1.952 
1.023 
1.095 
1.215 
1.095 

1.023 

1.072 
1.023 

.075 
.081 
.086 

Independent  dyers    

Special    finishers 

Cloth  weaving 
Men 

Weavers"  

.096 
.086 

.081 

Warpers,    sizers,    drawers- 
in,  piecers,  twisters,  card 
punchers,    designers,    in- 
spectors,    reed     makers, 
and   fancy  weavers 

Time  work  

Piece-work  basis 

.085 
.081 

aAdditions  of  .OS  or  .10  marks  (par,  $.0119  to  $.0238;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.00094 
to  $.0019)  per  hour  variously  for  single  warp,  multi-colored  warp,  yarn  coarser  than 
6  metric  or  than  10  metric,  9  to  16  dobbies,  17-24  dobbies,  more  than  24  dobbies, 
drafting,  5,000-10,000  warp  threads,   more  than   10,000  warp  threads,  etc. 

Trom  printed  agreement  in  possession  of  Colonel  John  Wood,  Phila- 
delphia, Pennsylvania. 

70 


HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    IN    THE    GERMAN    TEXTILE    INDUSTRY    IN 
DISTRICT  ON  RIGHT  BANK  OF  RHINE,  OCTOBER,    1920 

Continued 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Women 

Weavers  and  warpers 

20  years  and  over^ 

Speckers    

Menders,  20  years  and  over 
Worsted  j-arn  spinnings 
Sorting,  women 

Time  work   

Piece  work  basis 

Scouring,  men 

Scourers    

Helpers    

Carding 

Men     

Women 

Combing,    women     

Dyeing 

Machine  dyers,  men 

Other  men  workers   

Vigoureaux    printers, 

women    

Gil-box    tenders,    women .... 
Drawing,  women 

Time  work  

Piece  work  basis 

Spinning 

Men    

Women 

Mule  spinning 

1st    feeders 

2nd  feeders  

Creelers  and  reserves. 
Ring  spinning 

Machine   girls  and   1st 

piecers    

Ring  spinners  and  2nd 

piecers    

Reserves 

Piece  work  basis    . . . . 
Twisting,  women 

Machine    girls    and     1st 

twisters    

2nd  twisters   

Reserves    

Piece  work  basis    


3.00to3.20 
3.10 


4.60 
4.30 

4.30 
3.10 
3.00 

4.60 
4.30 

3.10 
3.00 

3.00 
3.10 

4.40 


3.20 
3.10 
3.00 


3.20 

3.10 
3.00 
3.10 


3.20 
3.10 
3.00 
3.10 


4.60 
3.20 


3.20 
3.20 

3.20 


.762 
.738 
.786 


.714  to    .762 
.738 


1.095 
1.023 

1.023 
.738 
.714 

1.095 
1.023 

.738 
.714 

.714 
.738 

1.047 


1.095 
.762 


.762 
.762 

.762 


.762 
.738 
.714 


.762 

.738 
.714 
.738 


.762 
.738 
.714 
.738 


.060 
.058 
.062 


.056  to  .060 
.058 


.086 
.081 

.081 
.058 
.056 

.086 
.081 

.058 
.056 

.056 
.058 

.083 


.086 
.060 


.060 
.060 

.060 


.060 
.058 
.056 


.060 

.058 
.056 
.058 


.060 
.058 
.056 
.058 


bTo  be  considered  piece  workers;  if  employer  refuses,  time  rates  to  be  increased 

cWorkers   20   years   or  over.      Sorting,   drawing,   spinning,   twisting,   and    spooling 
to  be  considered  piece  work;  if  employer  refuses,   time  rates  to  be  incrceasd   15%. 


71 


VI 
CLOTHING  MANUFACTURING 

Great  Britain 

In  the  tailoring  trade  the  minimum  rate  of  wages  for  women, 
fixed  under  the  Trade  Boards  Act,  had  been  increased  from 
3^  pence  (par,  $.066;  exchange  1920-21,  $.051)  per  hour,  in 
July,  1914,  to  9>4  pence  (par,  $.188;  exchange  1920-21,  $.144) 
at  the  end  of  1920,  while  for  men  it  was  raised  from  6  pence  to 
1  shilling,  2  pence  (par,  $.122  to  $.284 ;  exchange  1920-21,  $.094 
to  $.218)  per  hour.  For  some  classes  of  workers,  higher 
minima  had  been  fixed.  No  decreases  in  wages  in  this  trade 
had  been  reported  up  to  April,  1921.^ 

As  a  result  of  decreases  in  the  custom  tailoring  trade  in 
Birmingham,  rates  for  male  workers  on  ordinary  work  were 
1  shilling,  Yz  pence  (par,  $.253;  exchange  1920-21,  $.195)  per 
"log"  hour,2  effective  April  18,  1921.  A  decrease  in  rates  at 
Liverpool  made  minimum  weekly  time  rates  after  the  change 
85,  80  and  76  shillings  (par,  $20,683,  $19,466,  $18,493;  ex- 
change 1920-21,  $15,919,  $14,983,  $14,234)  for  the  dififerent 
grades  of  workers.  For  pieceworkers,  "log"  rates  after  the 
change  became: 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Grade  I  Shops 
"    II      " 
"  III      " 


1/1 

1/0^ 

1/0 


.264 
.253 
.243 


.203 
.195 
.187 


France 

In  collective  agreements  concluded  between  employers  and 
employees  in  the  French  clothing  trades  during  the  first  five 
months  of  1920,  the  following  wage  rates  were  specified : 

^Labour  Gazelle. 

'These  "log"  rates  arc  subject  to  machine  deductions,  if  any. 

72 


WEEKLY    WAGE    RATES     FIXED    BY     COLLECTIVE    AGREEMENT     IN 
THE  FRENCH  CLOTHING  INDUSTRY,  JANUARY  TO  MAY,  1920^ 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Paris    

Lille  

34.45   to  127.20 
15.00a  "  144. 00& 
22.50    "  150. 00'' 

100.00    "  137.50c 
24.00    "     55. 20^^ 

6.649to24.55 
2.895  "27.79 
4.343  "28.95 

19.30    "26.54 
4.632  "10.65 

2.387  to   8.815 
1.040  "    9.979 

Cutters    

Roubaix 

Cutters    

1.559  "  10.395 
6.93    "    9.529 

Apprentices     

1.663  "    3.825 

aApprentices. 

bApproximate,  weekly  rates  figured  from  daily  rates  on  basis  of  6-day  week. 
rApproximate,  weekly  rates  figured  from  monthly  rates  on  basis  of  4-week  month. 
(/Approximate,  weekly    rates  figured   from   hourly   rates  on   basis   of  48-hour   week. 

Minimum  wage  rates  for  a  week  of  48-hours  in  the  military 
clothing  industry  in  the  Paris  region,  which  were  published  in 
detail  in  the  bulletin  of  the  French  Ministry  of  Labor,  are  given 
below  in   somewhat  condensed    form  :- 

MINIMUM    WEEKLY    WAGES    IN    THE    MILITARY    CLOTHING    IN- 
DUSTRY IN  THE  PARIS  REGION,  EFFECTIVE  FROM  MARCH  1, 

1920 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Cutting  and  lining 

Men 

Women     

Apprentices   over   17 

years   

Machine  work 

Women    

Apprentices     

Pressing 

Men     

Women    

Apprentices 

Male    

Female    

Hand    work 

Basters  and  finish- 
ers, women 

Buttonhole  makers 

Cotton  sewers    

Miscellaneous 

Men    

Women 


98.55  to  144.00 
69.12  "    91.03 

40.35  "    80.76 


67.20 
34.44 

114.72 
78.86 

71.55 
62.64 


79.58 
62.64 

127.20 
97.75 


54.67  "    67.20 

72.68 

65.90 

95.28  "  127.20 
62.64  "  85.34 


19.02  to 27.79 
13.34  "17.57 

7.788  "15.587 

12.97    "15.36 
6.647  "  12.09 

22.14    "24.55 
15.20 

13.81    "18.87 
12.09 


10.55     "12.97 

14.03 

12.72 

18.39    "24.55 
12.09    "  16.47 


6.830  to  9.979 
4.790  "  6.308 

2.796  "  5.597 


4.657 
2.387 

7.950 
5.458 

4.958 
4.341 


5.515 
4.341 

8.815 
6.774 


3.789  "  4.657 

5.037 

4.568 

6.603  "  8.815 
4.341  "  5.914 


^Bulletin    du   Ministere    du    Travail,    November-December,    1920,    pp. 
551-555. 
''Idem.,  March-April.  1920,  p.  154. 

73 


Figures  for  the  French  men's  ready-made  clothing  industry, 
which  correspond  very  closely  to  those  in  the  above  table,  are 
given  in  the  British  official  publication.  Labour  Overseas,^  as 
follows : 

MINIMUM    WEEKLY    WAGES    IN    MEN's    READY-MADE    CLOTHING 

INDUSTRY 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Cutters    

80.75  to  127.20 

15.58   to24.55 

5.596  to  8.815 

Machinists     (women)... 

70.10"    79.60 

13.53    "15.36 

4.858  "  5.515 

Ready-made   clothing 

workers    (women) 

67.20  "    72.70112.97    "14.03 

4.657  "  5.038 

Improvers    

34.45  "    54.65 

6.648  "10.55 

2.387  "  3.789 

Pressers   

71.55  "  127.20 

13.81    "24.55 

4.958  "  8.815 

Rubber  clothing  workers 

67.20  "  127.20 

12.97    "24.55 

4.657  "  8.815 

Germany 

The  Reichs-Arbeitsblatt  of  November  15,  1920,  reported  a 
new  grouping  of  localities  and  new  wage  rates  for  the  cloth- 
ing industry  in  accordance  with  the  decision  of  a  central 
board.  The  wages  varied  greatly  in  the  different  localities ; 
the  hourly  rate  set,  for  Group  I  (Berlin),  being  6.30  marks 
(par,  $1,499;  exchange  1920-21,  $.118);  that  for  Group  Ila 
(Cologne,  Diisseldorf,  Saarbrucken)  6  marks  (par,  $1,428; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.113),  and  for  the  last  group,  where  liv- 
ing conditions  are  most  favorable,  3.60  marks  (par,  $.857;  ex- 
change 1920-21,  $.068). 

Statistics  on  the  wages  of  men  tailors  in  1914  and  in  Oc- 
tober, 1920,  prepared  by  the  German  Clothing  Workers'  Union, 
showed  that  wages  have  increased  approximately  700%  as, 
compared  to  1,182%  increase  in  the  cost  of  living.-  The 
working  day  was  ten  hours  in  1914  and  eight  hours  in  October, 
1920.  The  hourly  rates  in  the  large  centers  in  October,  1920. 
are  given  below :" 

'April-June,  p.  41. 
"Calwer  Index  figure. 

'International  Labour  Office.  Daily  Intelligence,  February  23,  1921, 
p.  7. 


74 


HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    FOR    MEN    TAILORS    IN    CERTAIN     LARGE 
CITIES  IN  GERMANY,  OCTOBER,  1920 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Berlin    

6.30 
S.OO 

1.499           1            .118 

Breslau    

1.190         !          .094 

Dresden 

5.00 

1.190 

.094 

Essen  

5.75 

1.369 

.108 

Frankfort  on  the  Main 

5.75 

1.369 

.108 

Hamburg   

5.75 

1.369 

.108 

Cologne    

6.00 

1.428 

.113 

Leipzig    

5.00 

1.190 

.094 

Munich    

5.00 

1.190 

.094 

Stuttgart    

5.00 

1.190 

.094 

The  following  wage  rates  for  other  branches  of  the  clothing 
industry  in  various  localities  are  published  in  the  reports  of 
collective  agreements  in  the  Reichs-Arbeitsblatt : 

WAGE    RATES    IN    THE    GERMAN    CLOTHING    INDUSTRY    FIXED    BY 
COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,  NOVEMBER,   1920  TO  MARCH,  1921 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Miihlhauseii 


Thiir- 


ingen 

Women's   custom   tail- 
oring 

Responsible      jacket, 
cloak,       bodice       and 

coat  workers    

All     other     workers 

and  hemmers   

Assistants 

Advanced  

Beginners    

Helpers    

White    sewing 
Seamstresses,       after 
two    years'     appren- 
ticeship     

Responsible       seams- 
tresses     

Buttonhole  makers. . . 
Blouse    making 

Cutters     

Cutters'   helpers 

Buttonhole        makers 
over    18  years 


2.75 

2.00 

1.45 

1.10 

.90 


.90  to  2. 10 

2.75 
1.45 

2.20 
2.00 

1.80  "  1.90 


.655 

.476 

.345 
.262 
.214 


.214  to  .500 

.655 
.345 

.524 
.476 

.429  "  .452 


.052 

.038 

.021 
.021 
.017 


.017  to  .039 

.052 
.027 

.041 
.038 

.034  "  .036 


'Hourly  rate.     Women  workers  only. 


75 


WAGE    RATES    IN    THE    GERMAN    CLOTHING    INDUSTRY    FIXED    BY 
COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,   NOVEMBER,    1920  TO  MARCH,   1921 

— Continued 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

AI  HI  hauscn— Continued 

Umbrella  making 

Skilled    hand    sewers, 

cutters,          machine 

sewers,    basters 

2.20 

.524 

.041 

Slower  workers 

1.90 

.452 

.036 

Helpers  over  18  years 

1.70 

.405 

.032 

Beginners      over      18 

years    

1.50 

.357 

.028 

Stettin 

Men   and   boys'  ready- 

made  clothing/ 

Cutters,  men 

Initial  wage    

276.50 

65.81 

5.19 

After  6  years 

330.00 

78.54 

6.20 

Head  cutters  and  cut- 

who  are  also  buyers 

360.00 

85.68 

6.76 

Berlin' 

Clothing  industry 

Simplest  work 

Men    

750 
690 

178.73 
164.43 

14.09 

Women 

12.96 

Simple  work 

Men    

840 
780 

200.17 
185.87 

15.78 

Women    

14.65 

Independent  workers 

Men 

1006.25 
920 

239.79 
219.24 

18.90 

Women    

17.28 

Responsible  w^orkers 

Men  

1210 

288.34 

22.72 

Women    

1100 

262.13 

20.66 

Executives 

Men  

1595 

380.09 

29.95 

Women    

1430 

340.77 

26.86 

Dessau" 

Skilled  cloak  and  jack- 

et workers,  etc 

2.60 

.620 

.049 

All    other    skilled 

workers    

2.20 

.524 

.041 

Assistants    

Beginners  

1.50 

.357 

.028 

Advanced   

1.60  to  1.70 

.381  to  .405 

.030  to  .032 

Helpers    

1.20 

.286 

.023 

^Weekly  rates. 
'Monthly   rates. 
^Hourly   rates. 


Married   workers   10%  additional. 


76 


4 


VII 
LEATHER  MANUFACTURING 

Great  Britain 

Tanning 

Hourly  wages  in  the  leather  tanning  industry  in  Great 
Britain,  as  furnished  by  the  United  States  Trade  Commissioner 
in  London,  in  a  report  of  February  8,  1921,  are  given  below  :^ 

HOURLY    WAGES    IN    LEATHER    TANNING    INDUSTRY,    FEBRUARY, 

1921 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Skilled 

London    

Yorkshire  and   Lancashicr 
Northamptonshire    

Unskilled 

London    

Yorkshire  and   Lancashier 
Northamptonshire    


1  8 

1  7SA 
1  6^ 


1  4 

1  33/4 
1  2^ 


.406 
.400 
.380 

.324 
.310 
.294 


.312 
.308 
.293 

.250 
.246 
.226 


According  to  the  British  Labour  Gazette  of  January,  1921, 
minimum  hourly  wage  rates  for  buffalo  picker  makers,  tanners 
and  skip  makers,  in  the  leather  tanning  industry  for  Bradford, 
Halifax,  Retford,  Rochdale,  Todmorden  and  district,  were  as 
follows : 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled    

Semi-skilled    

1  7 
1  5^ 
1  4 

.385 
.355 
.324 

.297 
.273 

Unskilled    

.250 

Piece  rates  are  fixed  so  as  to  enable  a  worker  to  earn  15% 
above  day  work  rates. ^ 

'Figures  from  the  Ministry  of  Labour. 
"Labour  Gazette,  p.  38. 

77 


Boots  and  Shoes 

In  the  wholesale  boot  and  shoe  manufacturing  industry 
the  minimum  time  rate  of  wages  for  the  principal  classes  of 
skilled  workers  23  years  of  age  and  upward,  by  the  end  of 
1920,  was  68  shillings  (par,  $16.55 ;  exchange  1920-21,  $12.74) 
per  week.  Before  the  war,  the  corresponding  minimum  was 
30  shillings  (par,  $7.30;  exchange  1920-21,  $5.62)  per  week  in 
most  districts,  though  in  some  districts,  it  was  28  or  29 
shillings  (par,  $6.81  or  $7.06;  exchange  1920-21,  $5.24  or 
$5.43).  For  men  of  the  same  ages  in  the  heel  building  de- 
partment and  in  the  show  and  stock  rooms,  the  minimum 
in  December,  1920  was  65  shillings  (par,  $15.82;  exchange 
1920-21,  $12.17)  a  week,  compared  with  27  shillings 
(par,  $6.57;  exchange  1920-21,  $5.06)  a  week  adopted  in 
1914,  to  take  effect  at  the  beginning  of  1915.  For  women  of 
20  years  or  over,  employed  in  the  closing  and  heel-building 
departments,  and  stock  and  show  room  departments,  the  mini- 
mum rate  was  40  shillings  (par,  $9.73;  exchange  1920-21, 
$7.49)  a  week  in  December,  1920  compared  with  17  shillings 
or  18  shillings  (par,  $4.14  or  $4.38;  exchange  1920-21,  $3.18 
or  %?,.Z7)  adopted  in  1914,  to  take  effect  January,  1915.^ 

Figures  of  average  weekly  wages  obtained  from  the  Gen- 
eral President  of  the  Boot  and  Shoe  Operatives'  Union,  are 
given  in  a  report  of  the  United  States  Trade  Commissioner  in 
London,  together  with  the  above  figures  of  minimum  rates  ob- 
tained from  the  Ministry  of  Labour.'-  The  average  weekly 
wasres  were  as  follows  : 


Shillings 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Male    

Female  

94  to  97 
50 

22.87  to  23.60 
12.17 

17. 60  to  18.17 
9.36 

^Labour  Gazette,  February,  1921,  p.  64. 

^The  report  states  in  a  footnote : 

"Although  68  shillings  and  40  shillings  for  men  and  women,  respect- 
ively, were  given  as  the  minimum  wage  per  week  in  the  boot  and  shoe 
industry  by  the  Ministry  of  Labour,  a  conference  with  Mr.  Richards, 
General  President  of  the  Boot  and  Shoe  Machine  Operators'  Union,  dis- 
closed the  fact  that  first-class  operators  seldom  receive  less  than  25% 
above  the  minimum.  The  last  two  figures  (94  shillings  and  50  shillings) 
included  in  this  schedule  are  based  on  statistics  in  this  office  and  given 
verbal  approval  to  me  by  Mr.  Ainsworth  in  charge  of  wage  statistics 
in  the  Ministry  of  Labour." 

78 


Leather  Glove  Manufacture 

Decreases  effective  the  week  ending  April  9,  1921  left  mini- 
mum weekly  rates  for  workers  in  leather  glove  manufacturing 
in  Worcester,  North  Devon,  Yeovil  and  Oxford,  as  follows  :^ 


Shillings 

Doll 

ars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Time  work 

Skilled  men    

67  6 
33  0 

79  SH 

16.424 
8.008 

19.317 

12.642 

Women  20  years  and  over'. 
Piecework  basis  time  rate 
For  skilled  men'  

6.160 
14.852 

•Weekly  rate  computed  from  hourly  rate  on  basis  of  44-hour  week. 
"Weekly  rate  computed  from  hourly  rate  on  basis  of   47-hour  week. 

France 

According  to  information  furnished  by  the  French  National 
Federation  of  the  Leather  and  Hide  Industry,  wage  rates  as  of 
approximately  February  1,  1921  for  the  leather  industry,  in- 
cluding shoe-makers,  saddlers,  glove-makers,  and  tanners,  were 
as  follows :" 

HOURLY    WAGES    IN    LEATHER    INDUSTRY     ( SHOE-MAKING,    SAD- 
DLERY, GLOVE-MAKING,  TANNING),  FEBRUARY,  1921 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Men 
Skilled 
Paris 
Time  work'    . . 
Piece  work  . . . 
Provinces' 

Time  work^  . . 
Piece  work   . . , 
Unskilled,     deduct 

above    

Women 
Skilled 

Time  work'   . . . . 
Piece   work    . . . . 
Unskilled 

Time  work   


from 


3.00 

3.25  to  5.00 

2.40 
2.35to4.00 

.25 


2.25to3.00 
2.50  to  3.25 

1.60to2.00 


.579 

.628  to  .965 

.463 

.454  to.  772 

.0483 


.434  to  .579 
.483  to  .628 

.309  to  3.86 


.208 

.225  to  .347 

.1662 

.163  to  .277 

.017 


,156  to.  208 
,173  to  .225 

.111  to.  139 


'Minimum. 

'Approximate;   "for  the  provinces  wages  average  20%  less"  than  in  Paris. 

'Minimum  rates. 

"■Labour  Gazette,  May,  1921,  p.  261. 

^Figures  from  National  Federation  of  the  Leather  and  Hide  Industry, 
reported  by  United  States  Commercial  Attache,  Paris,  February  3,  1921. 

79 


In  connection  with  these  figures  the  report  in  which  they 
are  given  states  : 

The  above  figures  were  shown  to  the  president  of  a  French  leather 
company,  who  stated  that  he  was  well  acquainted  with  the  Secretary  of 
the  National  F"ederation  of  the  Leather  and  Hide  Industry  and  that 
the  latter  was  a  very  reliable  and  conscientious  man  and  that  we  could 
depend  upon  the  figures   furnished  by  him. 

Tanning 

A  report  of  the  United  States  Trade  Commissioner  in  Paris, 
dated  November  6,  1920,  states  that  skilled  tannery  workers 
were  paid  approximately  2.75  francs  (par,  $.531 ;  exchange 
1920-21,  $.191)  per  hour,  and  that  ordinary  workmen  and 
helpers  received  2.25  francs  (par,  $.434;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.156)   per  hour.^ 

The  president  of  a  French  leather  company  stated  that  the 
average  wages  paid  to  tanners  were  from  2.50  to  3.12^/2  francs 
(par,  $.483  to  $.603;  exchange  1920-21,  $.173  to  $.217)  per 
hour,  and  to  finishers  from  3  to  4  francs  (par,  $.579  to  $.772; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.208  to  $.277)  per  hour;  some  highly 
skilled  workers  in  the  tanning  industry  were  earning  as  high 
as  5  francs  (par,  $.965;  exchange  1920-21,  $.347)  per  hour, 
although  these  were  in  the  minority. - 

According  to  figures  given  in  the  published  details  of  the 
collective  agreement,  hourly  wage  rates  fixed  for  tannery 
workers  in  one  establishment  at  Lille,  in  June,  1920,  were 
2.35  to  2.  85  francs  (par,  $.454  to  $.550;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.163  to  $.198).^- 

Boots  and  Shoes 

According  to  collective  agreements  published  by  the  French 

Ministry  of  Labor,  a  minimum  hourly  rate  of   from   1.00  to 

3.50  francs   (par,  $.193  to  $.676;  exchange  1920-21,  $.069  to 

$.243)  was  fixed  for  boot  and  shoe  workers  at  Lille,  in  April, 

1920.    At  Morestel  rates  were  fixed  at  from  10  to  15  francs 

per  day,  or  from  1.25  to  1.87^  francs  (par,  $.241  to  $.362; 

exchange  1920-21,  $.087  to  $.130)  per  hour,  for  men,  and  of 

from  6  to  10  francs  per  day,  or  .75  to  1.25  francs  (par,  $.145 

to  $.241  ;  exchange   1920-21,   $.052  to  $.087)    per  hour,    for 

^Commerce  Reports,  January  21,  1921. 

'United  States  Commercial  Attache,  Paris,  February  3,  1921. 

"Bultctiii  dn  Mimstcrc  dn  Travail,  August-October,  1920,  p.  430. 

80 


women. ^  These  rates,  of  course,  apply  only  to  these  particular 
districts,  though  the  rates  for  Lille  are  probably  fairly  repre- 
sentative of  the  larger  cities,  and  those  of  Morestel  of  the 
smaller  places. 

Glove  Manufacture 

The  following  table  gives  in  condensed  form  the  schedule  of 
minimum  piecework  rates  in  the  Grenoble  glove  industry,  ef- 
fective May  12,  1920,  reported  in  the  Commerce  Reports  of  the 
United  States  Bureau  of  Foreign  and  Domestic  Commerce, 
April  14,  1921. 

MINIMUM    PIECE-WORK   RATES   OF  GLOVE-MAKERS   AT  GRENOBLE, 
FRANCE,    (rates   PER  DOZEN),   EFFECTIVE   FROM    MAY,    1920 


Francs 


Dollar 


Par  of 

Exchangf 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Sewing    

Slitting'    

Trimming  tranks    

Assorting'    

Embroideries"   

Heavy  cable  twist  silk". 
Fine  cable  twist  silk"... 

Laying   off    

Hemming  pique"   

Cutting^    


6.25  to  10.85 


1.206    to  2.094 


.25 

.18 

.13 

1.10 

1.25 

1.45 

.65 

1.00 

13.50 


.30 

.30 
2.70 
3.70 
4.55 
1.55 
1.45 


.0482 
.0347 
.0251 
.212 
.241 
.280 
.125 
.193 
2.606 


.0579 

.0579 

.521 

.714 

.878 

.299 

.280 


.433  to  .752 

.017  "  .021 

.012 

.009 

.076 

.087 

.100 

.045 

.069 

.936 


.021 
.187 
.256 
.315 
.107 
.100 


^Rates  given  per   100  dozen. 
^Silk  furnished  by  factory. 
^Average. 


Germany 

In  an  investigation  of  wages  in  the  leather  industry  in  Feb- 
ruary, 1920,  made  as  part  of  a  general  survey  of  wages  by 
the  Federal  Statistical  office,  it  was  found  that  time  workers 
received  the  following  hourly  wages  :^ 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Ex,change 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Tanners   

1.81  to5. 33 

1.56  "  4.20 

.55  "  2.99 

.431  to  1.270 
.372  "1.001 
.131  "    .713 

.034  to  .100 

Helpers   

.029  "  .079 

Stitchers    (women)... 

.010  "  .056 

^Bulletin  du  Ministere  du  Travail,  August-October,  1920,  p.  430. 
^Sociale  Praxis,  February  16,  1921,  p.  168. 

81 


It  was  reported  that  47%  of  the  workers  were  on  piece 
rates,  and  that  the  variation  in  wages  with  this  class  of  workers 
was  less  than  with  those  on  time  work,  as  is  shown  by  the 
following  hourly  earnings  of  pieceworkers  :^ 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled  workers    

Stitchers   (women)    .. 

2.26to4.88 
.11  "  3.21 

.539  to  1.163 
.183  "    .765 

.042  to.  092 
.014  "   .060 

Rates  had  increased  over  these  figures,  however,  approxi- 
mately 50^0  by  the  end  of  1920. 

Tanning 

The  following  wage  rates  for  the  leather  tanning  industry 
were  set  by  collective  agreement  in  the  localities  specified  be- 
tween October  20,  1920  and  March  15,  1921 : 


HOURLY  WAGE  RATES  IN  THE  LEATHER  AND  TANNING  INDUSTRY 

FIXED  BY  COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT  OCTOBER,   1920  TO 

MARCH,   1921 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Mainz,  Rounheim  on  the  Main 

Men  over  21  years 

Women  over  21  years 

Hirschberg  on  the   Saale' 

Men,  competent  workers 

Helpers    

Women  

Wiirtemberg" 

Tanners    

Helpers  over  20,  after  1  year 

Women  over  20    

Miihlhausen  in  Thiiringen^ 

Skilled   men    

Helpers  

Women    


5.15 
2.60 

4.95  to  5.05 

4.70 

3.10  "  3.20 


4.60 
4.40 
2.50 


5.00 
4.80 
3.00 


4.80  "  5.00 
4.50  "  4.70 
2.90  "  3.00 


1.226 
.619 

1.178  to  1.202 
1.120 
.738  "    .762 

1.095  "1.19 
1.047  "1.144 
.595  "   7.14 

1.140  "1.19 
1.071  "1.120 
.690  "    .714 


.097 
.049 

.093  to  .095 

.088 

.058  "  .060 


.086 
.083 
.047 

.090 
.085 
.054 


.094 
.090 
.056 

.094 
.088 
.056 


^Workers  over  20  years.  Piece  work  rates  average  10%  higher.  Family  allowance, 
20  marks  (par,  $.0476;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.0038);  one  and  two  children,  .30 
marks  (par,  $.0714;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.0056);  three  and  four  children,  .40  marks 
(par,  $.095;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.0075);  five  and  more  children,  .50  marks  (par, 
$.119;    exchange    1920-21,   $.0094). 

^'Workers  in  'Stuttgart,  .10  to  .20  marks  (par,  $.0238  to  $.0476;  exchange,  1920-21, 
$.0019  to  $.0038)   per  hour  additional. 

'Workers  over  20  years. 

^Sociale  Praxis,  February   16,   1921. 

82 


Boots  and  Shoes 

The  following  table  shows  the  increase  in  wage  rates  as 
embodied  in  the  terms  of  the  national  collective  agreements 
for  the  boot-making  industry  over  a  period  of  years.  A  shoe- 
maker of  over  21  years,  living  in  a  Class  I  locality  (locality  in 
which  cost  of  living  is  highest),  working  by  the  hour,  received 
the  following  minimum  weekly  wages  on  the  dates  specified : 


HIGHEST    MINIMUM     WEEKLY    WAGE    RATES    FOR    ADULT    SHOE- 
MAKERS FIXED  BY  COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,   1917  TO  1921 


Date  of  wage  agreement 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


June  9,  1917' 

April  15,  1918^.. 
December  7,  1918 

May  9,   1919 

November  4,  1919 
January  23,   1920. 

May   1,   1920 

October  18,  1920. 
January  21,  1921. 

'Military  boots. 
^Civilian  shoes. 


39.64 

42.88 

67.36 

79.36 

110.92 

146.92 

235.00 

258.00 

282.00 


9.43 
10.21 
16.03 
18.89 
26.40 
34.97 
55.93 
61.40 
67.12 


.744 

.805 

1.265 

1.490 


083 
759 
413 
,845 
,296 


A  shoemaker  on  piecework  would  earn,  according  to  the 
latest  agreements,  329  marks  (par,  $78.30;  exchange  1920-21, 
$6.18)  a  week.  The  minimum  wage  per  hour  was  5  marks 
(par,  $1.19;  exchange  1920-21,  $.094),  to  which  various  al- 
lowances were  to  be  added,  thus  bringing  the  sum  to  7.20 
marks  (par,  $1,714;  exchange  1920-21,  $.135).  The  wages  of 
the  other  local  classes  were  in  proportion  to  those  mentioned 
above.  It  is  to  be  noted  that  these  figures  represent  minimum 
wage  rates. ^ 

^Schumacher  Fachblatt,  February  16,  1921,  reprinted  in  Daily  Intelli- 
gence, International  Labor  Office,  March  17,  1921,  p.  8. 


83 


VIII 
SAND,  CLAY  AND  GLASS 

Great  Britain 

Pottery 

According  to  data  supplied  by  the  Stafifordshire  Pottery 
Manufacturers'  Association  to  the  United  States  Consul  at 
Stoke-on-Trent,  costs  in  the  English  pottery  industry  have 
increased  over  1914  figures  by  the  percentages  given  below  •} 


Labor  

Fuel  

Clay   

Cobalt   

Flint,  Glaze,  etc 

Crates  and  Straw   

Cartage    

Saggar  marl  and  fire-bricks 
Plaster    


Percentage 

increase  over 

1914 

costs 

150  to  180 

200 

'  255 

160 

'  250 

230 

'  566 

180 

'  330 

230 

'  425 

300 

"  400 

275 

'  290 

200 

The  British  Labour  Gasettc-  reports  an  increase  of  108%% 
on  basic  wage  rates  in  this  industry  from  July,  1914  to  the 
end  of  1920,  and  in  some  cases  increases  in  the  basic  rates 
also. 

Figures  from  the  United  States  Department  of  Commerce 
show  the  following  weekly  wage  rates  for  the  British  pottery 
industry  in  September,  1920 : 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Laborers    

62  6 
89  6 
89  6 

15.208 
21.778 
21.778 

11.705 

Biscuit  and  glost  placers 

Saggar   makers    

16.762 
16.762 

'United   States  Bureau  of  Foreign  and   Domestic  Commerce. 
mcrce  Reports,  February  9,  1921,  p.  801. 
'February,   1921,  p.  64. 

84 


Com- 


The  new  schedule  of  minimnm  rates  for  engravers  in  the 
pottery  industry,  for  various  districts  in  England,  effective 
from  April  15,  1921,  was  also  the  result  of  a  decrease.  For 
journeymen  engravers  the  minimum  hourly  rate  after  the 
change  was  10^  pence  (par,  $.213;  exchange  1920-21,  $.164). 
This  rate  was  subjected  to  the  addition  of  a  66%%  incorporated 
bonus,  plus  a  bonus  of  25%  on  earnings.^ 

Weekly  time  rates  for  workers  employed  in  the  brick  and 
roofing  tile-making  industry  of  North  Staffordshire,  as  of 
November  19,  1920,  are  reported  in  the  Labour  Gazette,-  as 
follows : 


Shillings 
and   Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Men 

Laborers,  21  years  and  over. 

20   years'    

Women,  21  years'   


75  O*! 
56  0 
34  0 


18.49 
13.63 
8.274 


14.23 

10.49 

6.37 


'Minimum  rates. 

aWeekly  rates  figured  from  hourly  on  basis  of  48-hour  week. 

Glass 

A  decrease  of  about  14%  is  reported-'  for  glass  bottle  blowers 
and  makers  in  London,  eff'ective  January  17,  1921,  leaving  rates 
per  "day"*  after  the  change,  for  made  work,  as  follows : 


Shillings 
and   Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Makers 
Blowers 


7  0 
6  0 


1.703 
1.460 


1.31 
1.12 


The  following  wage  rates  were  set  for  workers  in  the 
glass  working  industry  in  the  Birmingham  district,  effective 
from  September   1,   1920:^ 

^Labour  Gazette,  Mav,  1921.  p.  265. 
'December,  1920,  p.  702. 
^Ideni.,  February,  1921,  p.  97. 

*A  "day"  refers  to  a  fixed  output,  varying  in  quantity  with  the  article 
made. 

^Labour  Gazette,  October,  1920. 


85 


WEEKLY  WAGE  RATES  IN  THE  BIRMINGHAM  GLASS  WORKING  IN- 
DUSTRY,  EFFECTIVE  SEPTEMBER,    1920 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Cutters,  silverers,  embossers,  lead  light 

workers  and  glaziers   

Cemcntcrs,  wetters-off  and  painters... 

Packers   

Laborers   


79  1 
69  6 
72  1 
63  5 


19.243 
16.911 
17.540 
15.431 


14.811 
13.016 
13.500 
11.877 


France 

Pottery 

In  the  French  pottery  industry  rates  for  brick  moulders 
were  from  14  to  16  francs  (par,  $2,702  to  $3,088;  exchange 
1920-21,  $.970  to  $1.09)  per  1,000  bricks,  according  to  wage 
data  suppHed  by  the  manufacturers'  association  (Societe 
Anonynie  I'Union  Industrielle).  The  moulder  earns  from  25 
to  35  francs  (par,  $4,825  to  $6,755;  exchange  1920-21,  $1,733 
to  $2,426)  per  day.  Ordinary  labor  receives  from  1.90  to 
2.00  francs  (par,  $.367  to  $.386;  exchange  1920-21,  $.132  to 
$.139)  per  hour.^ 

In  a  wage  agreement  for  the  pottery  industry  in  Marseilles, 
June  16,  1920,  rates  were  set  at  21  francs  (par,  $4.053 ;  ex- 
change 1920-21,  $1,455  per  day.- 


Glass 

Wages  in  the  glass  industry  in  Paris,  as  set  by  collective 
agreement  May  21,  1920,  ranged  from  8  francs  (par,  $1,544; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.544)  (for  children)  to  20  francs  (par, 
$3.86;  exchange   1920-21,  $1,386)   per  day.^' 

Marble 

Hourly  wage  rates  for  marble  cutters  as  fixed  by  collective 
agreement  in  two  localities,  in  March  and  June,  1920,  were  as 
follows  :* 

'Reix)rted  by  United  States  Commercial  Attache,  Paris,  Feb.  3,  1921. 

'Bulletin  du  Ministerc  du  Travail,  November-December,  1920,  p.  545. 

^Idem. 

*Idem. 


86 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Pans\ 

Roubaix    

2.90to3.45 
2.90 

.560  to  .666 
.560 

.201  to  .239 
.201 

'Minimum  rates. 

Germany 

Pottery 

The  industry  of  fine  ceramic  products  in  Germany  has  a 
scale  of  wages  covering  the  whole  country.  The  localities  are 
arranged  in  four  classes,  with  an  extra  class  for  Berlin.  The 
figures  represent  minimum  rates,  and  good  workmen  are  cor- 
respondingly better  paid.  The  agreement  from  which  the 
following  rates  were  taken  was  effective  from  October  1  to 
December  31,  1920,  and  was  renewed  January  1,  1921,  with 
slight  changes  in  the  bonuses.  The  following  table  gives 
the  range  of  wage  rates  in  the  various  localities  for  workers 
over  20  years  of  age  ■} 

MINIMUM    HOURLY    WAGE   RATES   IN    THE    CERAMICS    INDUSTRY, 
EFFECTIVE  FROM   OCTOBER    1,    1920'' 


Men 
Expert   workers 

Time  work   . . 

Job-rate   

Other    Workers 

Time  work   . . 

Job-rate    

Women 

Expert  workers 

Time  work  . . 

Job-rate    

Other  Workers 

Time  work  . . 

Job-rate    


Marks 


.70  to  4.54 
65  "  5.68 


.2,Z 
.15 


4.03 
5.04 


3.26 
4.08 

3.01 
3.78 


Dollars 


Par  of  I        Exchange 

Exchange  1920-21 


.643  to  1.081 

.869  "1.352 

.555  "    .959 
.750  "1.200 


.519  "  .776 

.650  "  .971 

.457  "  .716 

.571  "  .900 


.051  to  .085 
.069  "  .107 

.044  "  .076 
.059  "  .095 


.041  " 
.051  " 


.061 
.077 


.036  "  .057 
.045  "  .071 


aAdditional    payments   of    10%   to   25%   are   made   according   to    age,    number   of 
children   and    kind   of   work. 

Glass 

The  following  hourly  wage  rates  for  glass  cutting  in  two 
localities  were  fixed  in  November,  1920:^ 

'Reichs-Arbeitsblatt,  Nov.  15,  1920,  p.  99*  and  Mar.  15,  1921,  p.  420.* 
■Idem.,  December  27,  1920,  p.  215.* 

87 


HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    FOR    GLASS    CUTTERS    IN    TWO    LOCALITIES 
FIXED  BY   COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,    NOVEMBER,    1920 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Chemnitz^ 

Skilled  glass  cutters    

Artists    

4.35  to  5.90 
4.20  "  5.50 
3.90  "  4.35 

4.00  "  4.60 

1.035  to  1.404 

1.000  "1.309 

.928  "1.035 

.952  "1.095 

.082  to  .111 
.079  "  .103 

Helpers  and  other  workers.. 
Saxony" 
Designers  and  cutters   

.073  "  .082 
.075  "  .086 

'Workers  over  20  years.     Married  workers   10%  to   15%  additional. 
-Minimum   rates. 

Labour  Overseas,  a  British  official  publication,  reports  a  wage 
rate  in  the  German  bottle-making  industry  of  5  marks  per  hour 
(par,  $1.19;  exchange  1920-21,  $.094),  for  skilled  time  workers 
in  March,  1920. 

Brick  Making 

The  following  wage  rates  for  brick  making  are  reported  in 
the  Reichs-Arbeitsblatt:^ 


HOURLY  WAGE  RATES  IN  THE  BRICK   MAKING  INDUSTRY  IN  TWO 

LOCALITIES  FIXED  BY  COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,  OCTOBER, 

1920  AND  JANUARY,  1921 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Gera  and  vicinity 

Men  over  25'   

Artisans   

Kiln  men    

4.70 

4.90 

5.20 

4.40  to  4.70 

3.20 

3.15  "  3.50 
1.90  "  2.10 

1.119 
1.166 

1.238 

1.047  to  1.119 
.762 

.750  "    .834 
.452  "    .500 

.088 
.092 
.098 

Brick  burners 

Women  over  21    

Gorlitz  and  vicinity" 

Men  over  20   

Women  over   18   

.083  to  .088 
.060 

.059  "  .066 
.036  "  .039 

^Includes  also  married  men  over  21   years. 
^Burners,  firemen,  etc.,   receive   10%  more. 


'November  26,  1921,  p.  138  and  February  15,  1921,  p.  345. 


IX 

CHEMICALS 

Great  Britain 

Alkalies,  Heavy  Chemicals  and  Dyes 

Weekly  wages  in  this  industry,  as  reported  by  the  Secre- 
tary of  the  Chemical  Employers'  Association  in  February, 
1921,  were  as  follows: 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Common    labor'    

75  6 

106  0 

18.37 
25.79 

14.14 

Semi-skilled  or  process  men" 

19.85 

M7-hour  week. 
'56-hour  week. 

He  further  stated  that  the  salary  of  chemists  or  technically 
trained  men  was  300  pounds  (par,  $1,459.95;  exchange  1920- 
21,  $1,123.71)  or  more  per  year.^ 

According  to  the  Labour  Gazette,  there  has  been  a  decrease 
in  the  wage  rates  of  workers  employed  in  the  manufacture 
of  heavy  chemicals,  salts,  etc.,  effective  from  the  third  pay  week 
in  April,  1921.  After  the  change,  minimum  standard  rates 
for  day  laborers  and  shiftmen  (able-bodied  men  21  years  and 
over)  were  1  shilling,  5  pence  and  1  shilling,  7  pence  (par, 
$.345,  $.265;  exchange  1920-21,  $.385,  $.297),  respectively. 

Paint,  Color  and  Varnish 

The  following  minimum  weekly  rates  were  set  August  1, 
1920,  under  an  agreement  arrived  at  by  the  Joint  Industrial 
Council  for  the  Paint,  Color  and  Varnish  Trade,  and  were  still 
in  effect  at  the  end  of  1920 1^ 

'Report  of  United  States  Trade  Commissioner,  London,  February  8, 
1921. 
^Ministry  of  Labour.  \^ 

89 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Men,  over  20  years. . . . 
Women,  over  18  years. 

56  6  to  68  0* 
36  6  "  40  0 

13. 748  to  16.546 
8.881  "   9.733 

10.582  to  12.735 
6.836  "    7.491 

a    In    the    case    of    qualified    youths    higher    rates    up    to    4    shillings    (par,    $.97,^; 
exchange,  1920-21,  $.749)   in  excess  of  the  minimum  may  be  paid. 

Drugs  and  Fine  Chemicals 

For  workers  employed  in  the  drug  and  fine  chemical  trade, 
the  following  weekly  wage  rates  were  set  July  1,  1920,  and 
were  still  in  effect  at  the  end  of  1920:^ 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Men,  21  years  and  over. 
Women,  18  years  and 
over    


65     to  75 
Z7  6  "  45 


15. 816to  18.249 
9.125  "10.950 


12. 174  to  14.046 
7.023  "    8.428 


Printing  Ink  Manufacture 

Minimum  weekly  rates  for  men  employed  in  printing  ink 
and  roller  making,  for  London,  as  from  February  5,  1921,  were 
reported  as  follows : 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Head  oil  boilers,  head  roller  makers,  etc.. 
Skilled  ink  grinders,  etc 

92  6 
82  6 
75  0 
72  6 

22.51 

20.07 
18.25 
17.64 

17.32 

15.45 

Asst.  ink  grinders,  asst.  oil  boilers,  etc.... 
Packers,  vanmen,  laborers,  etc 

14.05 
13.58 

In  the  provinces  the  rates  are  10%  less  than  the  rates  for 
London.^ 


Soap  and  Candle  Manufacture 

For  workers  employed  in  soap  and  candle  manufacture,  the 
following  rates  became  effective  as  the  result  of  a  decrease 
in  April,  1921:'' 

'Ministry  of  Labour. 

-Labour  Gazette,  April.  1921.  p.  208. 

^Idem.,  May,  1921,  p.  265. 

90 


MINIMUM    WEEKLY    WAGE   RATES   IN    SOAP   AND   CANDLE    MANU- 
FACTURE, APRIL,   1921 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Larger  industrial  centers 

Men,  21  years  and  over  

Women    18  years  and  over 

69  0 

39  6 

76  0 
42  0 

67  0 
36  0 

16.789 

9.611 

18.493 
10.220 

16.303 
8.760 

12.923 
7.398 

Port  Sunlight  and   Bromborough   Pool 
Men    

14.234 

Women    

Other  centers 
Men    

7.866 
12.548 

Women   

6.742 

France 

Electro-Metallurgical  and  Electro-Chemical  Industries 

Wages  of  common  labor  in  the  electro-metallurgical  and 
electro-chemical  industries  in  Paris  were  1.87  to  3.12  francs 
(par,  $.361  to  $.602;  exchange  1920-21,  $.130  to  $.216)  per 
hour,  as  of  approximately  February  1,  1921,  according  to  in- 
formation furnished  by  the  Employers'  Association  of  the 
Metallurgical  and  Mining  Industries  and  the  General  Federa- 
tion of  Labor. 

General  Chemical  Industry 

According  to  the  Employers'  Association  of  Metallurgical 
and  Mining  Industries,  as  reported  by  the  United  States  Com- 
mercial Attache  in  February.  1921.  common  labor  in  this  in- 
dustry received  19  francs  per  day,  or  2.375  francs  (par,  $.458; 
exchange  1920-21,  $.165)  per  hour,  as  per  contract  between  the 
association  and  the  employees.  The  report  stated  that  especially 
skilled  or  experienced  labor  received  25  francs  (par,  $4.825 ; 
exchange  1920-21,  $1,733)  per  day,  but  that  the  great  majority 
of  employees  in  this  industry  were  common  laborers. 

A  Swiss  report  states  that  wages  of  factory  workers  in  the 
French  chemical  industry  at  the  end  of  1920,  were  2.70  francs 
(par,  $.521;  exchange  1920-21,  $.187)   per  hour.^ 

Dye  Manufacturing 

Minimum  hourly  wages  in  the  dye  making  industry  at  Lille 

were  fixed  by  collective  agreement  March  20,  1920,  at  1.25  to 

2.25  francs  (par,  $.241  to  $.434;  exchange  1920-21,  $.087  to 

'L'Union  Centrale  des  Associations  patronales  suisses.  Bulletin  No.  9, 
p.  11. 

91 


$.156)  per  hour.  Apprentices  were  to  receive  6  francs  (par, 
$1,158;  exchange  1920-21,  $.416)  per  day  and  boys  less  than 
18  years  of  age  11  francs  (par,  $2,123;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.762)  per  day.^ 

Germany 

Wage  rates  in  the  German  chemical  industry  incorporated 
in  collective  agreements  from  various  localities  published  in  the 
Reichs-Arbeitsblatt  are  given  below.  Ranges  of  rates  are 
shown  for  workers  of  varying  ages  and  varying  degrees  of 
skill : 

HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    IN    THE    GERMAN    CHEMICAL    INDUSTRY 

FIXED  BY  COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,  OCTOBER,    1920  TO 

FEBRUARY,  1921 


Cologne  and  vicinity^ 
Experienced   workers  over  20 
Experienced     helpers,     includ- 
ing machine   workers 

Women  over  18   

Stokers,    machinists,    etc 

Hemelingen 

Men  over  20  

Women  over  20   

Bavaria   (right  of  Rhine)'" 
Workers  over  21 

Initial   wage    

After  2  years    

Women  over  18 

Initial   wage    

After  2  years    

Artisans,      machinists,      etc., 

over  21    

Alannheim,  Ludwigshafen   and 
vicinity^ 

Craftsmen  over  21    

Stokers,  machinists  and  help- 
ers over  21    

Factory   workers   over  21... 

Women  over  20   

Pomerania* 

Unskilled  workers    

Women    


Marks 


4.71to6.30 

4.34  "  5.80 
2.44  "  3.21 
4.49  "  6.00 

5.00 
3.05 


4.00 
4.20 


4.90 
5.10 


2.30  "  2.80 
2.50  "  3.00 

4.30  "  5.70 


4.20  "  6.80 


4.15 
4.10 

2.45 


6.70 
6.40 
3.90 


3.75  "  4.50 
1.90  "  2.60 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


1.121  to  1.500 

1.033  "1.380 

.581  "    .764 

1.069  "1.428 

1.19 
.726 


.952  "1.166 
1.000  "1.214 

.547  "    .666 
.595  "    .714 

1.023  "1.357 


1.00    "1.618 


.988 
.976 
.583 


1.595 

1.525 

.928 


.893  "1.071 
.452  "    .619 


Exchange 
1920-21 


.088  to  .118 

.082  "  .109 
.046  "  .060 
.084  "  .113 

.094 
.057 


.075  "  .092 

.079  "  .096 

.043  "  .053 

.047  "  .056 


.081 


.107 


.079  "  .128 

.078  "  .126 

.077  "  .120 

.046  "  .073 

.070  "  .085 

.036  "  .049 


'Chemicals  and  explosivess;  maximum  average  wage. 

^Range  of  wages  according  to  locality.  Family  allowance:  wife  and  each  child, 
6  marks  (par,  $1,428;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.113)  per  week. 

^Family  allowance:  8  to  14  marks  (par,  $1,906  to  $3,336;  exchange,  1920-21, 
$.150  to  $.263)  per  week  per  child. 

^Workers  over  20  years. 

^Bulletin  du  Ministcrc  du  Travail,  November-December,  1910,  p.  546. 

92 


A  Swiss  report  states  that  factory  workers  in  the  German 
chemical  industry  at  the  end  of  1920  received  4.80  marks 
(par,    $1,144;    exchange    1920-21,    $.090)    per    hour.^ 

Dyeing 

In  the  zone  occupied  by  British  troops  (Cologne  district), 
hourly  wages  in  the  dyeing  industry,  in  August,  1920,  were  as 
follows  :^ 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Men 

Skilled   

6.10 
5.65 
5.25 
3.00to3.25 

1.452 
1.345 
1.250 
.714  to.  774 

.115 

Semi-skilled   

Unskilled 

Women,  unskilled   . . . 

.106 
.099 
.056  to  .061 

Since  this  time,  however,  wages  have  probably  increased 
somewhat. 


Soap  Making 

According  to  a  wage  agreement  effective  February  11,  1921, 
workers  in  the  soap  industry  in  the  Cologne  district  received 
5.85  marks  (par,  $1,392;  exchange  1920-21,  $.110)  per  hour. 
Married  men  received  .25  marks  (par,  $.0595 ;  exchange  1920- 
21,  $.0047)    per  hour  additional.^ 


^L'Union  Centrale  des  Associations  patronales  suisses. 
p.  11. 

'Labour  Overseas,  July  to  September,  1920,  p.  135. 
^Reichs-Arbeitsblatt,  March  31,  1921,  p.  454.* 


Bulletin  No.  9, 


93 


PAPER,  PRINTING  AND  BOOKBINDING 


Great  Britain 

Printing  and  Bookbinding 

The  official  figures  of  average  (unweighted)  weekly  time 
rates  of  wages  in  27  towns  in  Great  Britain,  in  December,  1920, 
are  given  below : 


'Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Hand  compositors   (book  and  job- 
bing  work)    

93  4 
93  8 

22.71 
22.78 

17.48 

Bookbinders  and  machine  rulers.. 

17.54 

These  rates  represent  at  162%  and  a  176%  increase,  re- 
spectively, over  July,  1914  rates. ^  The  following  tabulation  of 
the  range  of  minimum  weekly  wage  rates  in  the  printing  trades 
in  six  grades  of  cities  in  England,  is  compiled  from  the  Labour 
Gazette  of  December,  1920.  These  rates  were  effective  from 
November  15,  1920,  and  there  was  no  notice  of  changes  in 
wages  in  this  trade  up  to  April  30,  1921. 

MINIMUM    WEEKLY    WAGE   RATES    IN   THE    PRINTING   TRADES    IN 
VARIOUS   CLASSES  OF   CITIES   IN    ENGLAND,    NOVEMBER,    1920 


Dollars 


Shillings 
and   Pence 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Compositors  and  bookbind- 
ers, jobbing   

Compositors : 

Morning  newspapers   . . . 

Evening  newspapers  . . . 
Linotype  operators,  jobbing 
Linotype  operators  and  ro- 
tary minders : 

Morning  newspapers   . . . 

Evening  newspapers    . . . 


82  6  to    97  6 


94  6 

85  0 
88  6 


101  6 
90  0 


109  6 
100  0 
106  0 


119  0 
108  6 


20.07  to  23.72 

22.90  "26.64 
20.68  "24.33 
21.53  "25.79 


24.70  "28.96 
22.14  "26.40 


15.45  to  18.26 


17.70 
15.92 
16.57 


19.01 
17.04 


20.51 
18.73 
19.85 


22.29 
20.32 


^Labour  Gazette,  February,  1921,  p.  64. 

94 


MINIMUM    WEEKLY    WAGE   RATES    IN   THE    PRINTING    TRADES    IN 
VARIOUS   CLASSES   OF    CITIES    IN    ENGLAND,    XOVE.MltER,    1920 

— Continued 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Lithographic  printers : 

Machine  minders  and 
transferers,   flat   bed'.. 

Plate  transferers,  rotary 
machines'     

Machine  minders,  direc- 
tor or  off-set  rotary'.. 

Stone  polishers  and  shif- 
ters     

Stone  and  plate  grainers 
Lithographic  artists : 

Designers  and  engravers 
(excluding  process 

workers)'    

Electrotypers  and  stereo- 
typers : 

Jobbing  offices  

Morning  newspapers    . . . 

Evening    newspapers    . . . 


92  6  to    97 

97  6  "  102 

102  6  "  107 

72  6 
74  6 


95  0  "  100  0 


82  6  "  97 
94  6  "  109 
85  0  "  100 


22.51  to  23. 72!  17. 32  to  18.26 


23.72  "24.94 

24.94  "26.16 

17.64 
18.13 


18.26  "  19.20 

19.20  "  20.13 

13.58 
13.95 


23.12  "24.33    17.79  "  18.73 


20.07  "23.72 
22.99  "26.64 
20.68  "24.33 


15.45  "  18.26 
17.70  "  20.51 
15.92  "  18.73 


"From  3  grades  of  cities  only. 

Minimum  weekly  wage  rates  in 
don,  efifective  November  15.  1920, 


the  printing  trades  in  Lon- 
were  as  follows '} 


Shillings 
and   Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Bookbinders    and    machine 
rulers : 
Alen    

100  0 
51  0 

130  0 
26  7 

24.33 
12.41 

31.63 
6.468 

18.73 

Women  over  18  (skilled) 
Electrotypers    and    stereo- 
typers : 

Daily  and  Sunday  news- 
papers    

Casual    men'    

9.55 

24.35 
4.98 

'Per  day. 

Paper  Bag  and  Box  Making 

In  the  December,  1920  number  of  the  Labour  Gazette-  are 
given  the  following  minimum  weekly  wage  rates  in  the  paper 
box  and  paper  bag  inaking  industries  in  Great  Britain. 

^Labour  Gazette,  December,  1920,  p.  700. 
^P.  700. 

95 


MINIMUM    WEEKLY    WAGE    RATES    IN    PAPER    BOX    AND    BAG 
INDUSTRY,  1920 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 

1920-21 


Paper  box  making 

Machine  winders,  die 
makers,  form  setters, 
cutters,  and  head  stock 
keepers 

20  years  and  over   

Women  (other  than  learn- 
ers ) ' 

Paper-bag   making 

Men,  over  20  years 

Machine  tacklers    

Paper-bag   cutters    

Women  (other  than 
learners)^  


48  6  to  78  6 
37  0 


11.80  to  18.61 
9.003 


9. 08  to  14.33 
6.93 


58  0 
57  0 

n  0 


82  0 
74  0 


14.11 
13.87 

9.003 


19.95 
18.01 


10.86 
10.68 

6.93 


15.36 
13.86 


'Weekly  rate  figured  from  hourly  rate  on  basis  of  48-hour  week. 

Paper  Making 

Minimum  hourly  wage  rates  in  paper  mills  in  the  United 
Kingdom  (except  for  skilled  tradesmen  and  those  employed  in 
handmade  paper  mills  and  board-mills),  effective  August,  1920, 
were  reported  as  follows  :^ 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Time  workers 
Men,  21  years  and  over 
Class  I  occupations 

Coating  mills   

1  10 

2  0 

1    7% 
1     9 
lOi^ 

.446 
.487 

.390 
.426 
.213 

.343 

Other    mills    

.375 

Class  II  occupations 

Day  workers    

.300 

Shift  workers    

.328 

Women,  18  years  and  over  

.164 

For  pieceworkers,  rates  were  fixed  to  yield  not  less  than  20% 
over  timeworkers. 


^Labour  Gacette,  September,  1920,  p.  508. 


96 


France 

Printing  and  Bookbinding 

An  analysis  of  ten  collective  agreements  concluded  in  the 
first  eight  months  of  1920  and  reported  in  the  bulletin  of  the 
Ministry  of  Labour,  .shows  wages  for  skilled  workers  ranging 
from  2  francs  (minimum  rate)  to  2.85  francs  (par,  $.386  to 
$.550;  exchange  1920-21,  $.139  to  $.198)  per  hour  for  skilled 
workers.  The  highest  wage  was  reported  for  Clermont-Fer- 
rand. In  the  case  of  certain  of  the  larger  cities,  including  Paris, 
no  actual  wage  rates  were  stated,  but  notice  was  given  of  in- 
creases in  cost  of  living  bpnuses.  The  hourly  wage  rates  re- 
ported in  the  various  agreements  were  as  follows.  The  lowest 
rates  shown  were  for  boys  and  women  workers  ■} 

D.MLY  WAGE  RATES   IN   THE   FRENCH   PRINTING  TRADES  FIXED  BY 
COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT  BETWEEN  JANUARY  AND  AUGUST, 

1920 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Cognac   

Montpellier    

5. 15  to  16.90 

6.00  "  17.00 
13.00  "  21.00 
14.40  "  18.40 

3.40  "  14.40 
10.30 

8.00  "  16.00 
18.00  "  22.00 
21.20 

17.00  "  18.00 

17.00  "  20.00 

15.90  "  16.90 

8.00«"  19.60 

.994  to 3. 262 
1.158  "3.281 
2.509  "4.053 
2.779  "3.551 

.656  "2.779 
1.988 

1.544  "3.088 
3.474  "4.246 
4.092 

3.281  "3.474 
3.281  "3.860 
3.069  "3.262 
1.544  "3.783 

.357  to  1.171 
.416  "  1.178 

Voiron'   

Orleans          

.901  "  1.455 
.998  "  1.275 

Young  workers   

Book  stitchers   

Angers',  ^    

.236  "     .998 

.714 

.544  "  1.109 

Clermont-Ferrand   

Meru"   

Toulon 

Day  

Night    

1.247  "  1.525 
1.469 

1.178  "  1.247 
1.178  "  1.386 

Avignon    

1.102  "  1.171 

]  oitiers',  '"  

.554  "  1.358 

'Minimum  rate. 

^Computed  from  hourly  rate  on  basis  of  8-hour  day. 

oApprentices. 

In  an  agreement  concluded  at  Lille,  January  19,  1921,  min- 
imum daily  wages  for  workers  over  21  years  of  age  were  set 
as  follows : 

^Bulletin  du  Ministere  du  Travail,  November-December,  1920,  p.  543 
to  545. 


97 


Non-Specialized  workers"  . 

Qualified  workers  

Specialized  workers   

Cost  of  living  bonus 
Workers  over  21  years 
Workers  from  16  to  21 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


16.00 
18.00 

20.00 


00 
SO 


3.088 
3.474 
3.86 

.965 
.676 


1.109 
1.247 
1.386 

.347 
.243 


As  a  result  of  the  decrease  in  cost  of  living,  wages  in  the 
Paris  bookbinding  and  printing  trades  were  reduced,  May  16, 
1921,  a  maximum  amount  of  2  francs  (par  $.386;  exchange 
1920-21,  $.139)  a  day  for  men  over  18  years  of  age  and  1.20 
francs  (par  $.232;  exchange  1920-21,  $.083)  for  women  over 
18  years  of  age.  In  Lyon,  the  cost  of  living  bonus  was  reduced 
from  3.85  francs  to  3.40  francs  (par  $.743  to  $.656;  exchange 
1920-21,  0.267  to  $.236)  per  day,  effective  May  1,  1921.' 

Paper  Box  Making 

In  an  agreement  dated  September  29,  1920,  effective  to  Oc- 
tober 15,  1921,  the  minimum  hourly  wages  for  workers  in  the 
boxboard  and  paper  box  industry  in  Paris  were  fixed  as 
follows : 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Men   

Women    

Apprentices    

2. 40  to  3. 50 

1.50  "  2.40 

.25  "  1.90 

.463  to  .676 

.290  "  .463 

.0483  "  .367 

.166  to  .243 
.104  "  .166 
.017  "  .132 

Germany 

Paper 

The  following  hourly  wage  rates  in  the  paper  industry  in 
Wiirtemberg,  varying  according  to  locality,  were  fixed  by  col- 
lective agreement  in  October,  1920.  In  addition,  married  men 
were  to  receive  .15  to  .20  marks  (par  $.0357  to  $.0476;  ex- 
change 1920-21,  $.0028  to  $.0038)  per  hour  and  also  .20  to  .25 
marks  (par  $.0476  to  $.060;  exchange  1920-21  $.0038  to 
$.0047)  for  one  child,  or  .25  to  .30  marks  (par  $.060  to  $.071 ; 
exchange  1920-21.  $.0047  to  $.0056)  for  two  or  more  children.- 

^U Information  Sociale,  May  22,  1921,  p.  3. 
■Rcichs-Arbeitsblatt.  November  26.  1920.  p.   139.* 

98 


HOURLY   WAGE   RATES  IN    WURTEMP.ERG   PAPER  INDUSTRY, 
OCTOBER.   1920 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Machine  tenders    

Rag  engine  millers    

Machine  helpers  over  21  years.. 

Machinists,  artisans,  etc 

Unskilled  women  over  20  years 


4.15to4.35 
4.05  "  4.35 
3.60  "  4.15 
3.90  "  4.55 
2.25  "  2.55 


,988  to  1.035 
.964  "1.035 
.857  "  .988 
.928  "1.083 
.536  "    .607 


.078  to  .082 
.076  "  .082 
.068  "  .078 
.073  "  .085 
.042  "  .048 


For  the  paper,  pulp  wood  and  cellulose  industry  in  Hanover, 
a  wage  agreement  dated  February  8,  1921  increased  the  wage 
rates  which  were  being  paid  under  an  agreement  of  December 
1,  1920.  The  following  hourly  rates,  in  force  from  February 
1,  1921,  varied  according  to  locality.^  In  addition  to  these 
wages,  the  heads  of  households  were  to  receive  an  allowance 
of  7  marks  (par  $1,666;  exchange  1920-21,  $.131)  per  week 
for  each  person  whom  they  were  supporting. 

HOURLY    WAGE    RATES    IN     HANOVER    PAPER,    PULP     WOOD    AND 
CELLULOSE  INDUSTRY,  FEBRUARY,   1921 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled     workers      in     paper 

manufacturing    

Unskilled  workers  over  21 . . 

Artisans    over    21 

Trained  women  over  21 

4.15to5.75 

4.15  "  5.25 
4.55  "  5.55 
2.60  "  3.15 

.988  to  1.369     .078  to.  108 

.988  "1.250     .078  "  .099 

1.083  "1.321     .085  "  .104 

.619  "    .750     .049  "  .059 

Printing 

The  weekly  wage  for  printers  in  the  zone  occupied  by  British 
troops   (Cologne  district)   in  August,  1920  were  as  follows  :- 

WEEKLY    WAGES    OF    PRINTERS    IN    ZONE    OCCUPIED    BY    BRITISH 
TROOPS,  AUGUST,    1920 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Skilled  men 

Single   

Married    

Unskilled  men 

Single   

242.20 
256.95 

206  to  210 
228  "  230 
130  "  140 

57.64 
61.15 

49.03  to  49.98 
54.26  "54.74 
30.94  "33.32 

4.55 

4.83 
3.87to3.94 

Married    

Unskilled  women   

4.28  "  4.32 
2.44  "  2.63 

'Idem.,  March  31,  1921,  p.  455.* 
'Labour  Oz'crseas,  July-September,  1920,  p.  135. 

99 


The  minimum  weekly  wage  rates  of  German  lithographers, 
fixed  in  June,  1920,  for  one  year,  was  from  108  to  180  marks 
(par  $25.70  to  $42.84,  exchange  1920-21,  $2.03  to  $3.38).  To 
this  was  added  a  cost  of  living  bonus  of  from  21  to  40  marks 
(par  $5.00  to  $9.52;  exchange  1920-21,  $.394  to  $.75 1).^ 

A  Swiss  report  states  that  wages  of  factory  workers  in  the 
German  paper  industry  at  the  end  of  1920  were  from  2.20  to 
4.65  marks  (par  $.524  to  $1,108;  exchange  1920-21,  $.041  to 
$.087)  per  hour:- 

^Labour  Overseas,  April-June,  1920,  p.  42. 

^L'Union  Centrale  dcs  Associations  patronales  suisses.  Bulletin  No.  9, 
p.  11. 


100 


XI 

WOODWORKING 

Great  Britain 

According  to  the  official  figures  in  the  British  Labour  Gazette, 
the  average  (unweighted)  weekly  time  rates  of  wages  in  17 
large  towns  for  workmen  in  the  furniture  making  industry,  as 
of  December  31,  1920  were  as  follows: 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Cabinet  makers   !    102     1 

Upholsters     I    101     1 

French  polishers   101  11 


24.84 
24.60 
24.80 


19.12 
18.93 
19.09 


These  rates  showed  an  increase  over  rates  in  efifect  July, 
1914,  of  approximately  157%,  161%  and  175%,  respectively, 
for  the  three  occupations  given.  Hours  of  labor,  however, 
were  44  to  47  in  1920  as  compared  with  49>^  to  54  in  1914. 

The  following  hourly  rates  for  the  trades  and  locations  speci- 
fied were  reported^  as  the  results  of  changes  from  July,  1920 
to  January,  1921 : 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Packing  case  making 

Oldham    

Saw  milling 

Carlisle    

Certain     towns     in     West 
of  Yorkshire    

Riding 

2    1 

1  11 

2  2 
1  11 

.507 
.466 
.527 
.466 

.390 
.359 
.406 

Saw  mill  laborers 
Tyne  district    

359 

'Labour  Gazette.  May,  1921. 

p.  265. 
101 

For  men  employed  in  the  vehicle  building  and  wheelwright 
trades  by  members  of  the  National  Employers'  Association  of 
Vehicle  Builders  in  England  and  Wales,  there  was  a  decrease 
in  rates  beginning  the  first  pay  day  after  April  9,  1921.  Min- 
imum rates  after  the  change  were  as  follows:^ 

MINIMUM    HOURLY  RATES  IN  THE  VEHICLE  BUILDING  INDUSTRY 
IN  CERTAIN  TOWNS,  APRIL,  1921 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Bodymakers,  wheelrights,  coach 
joiners  and  finishers,  smiths, 
painters,  trimmers,  mounters, 
etc 

Coach  fitters  

Vicemen 

Hammermen  and  brush   hands. 

1  7  to  2    0 
1  7  "  1  10)^ 
1  5  "  1    6y2 
1  4  "  1    41^ 

.385  to  .487 
.385  "  .456 
.345  "  .375 
.324  "  .335 

.297  to  .375 
.297  "  .351 
.265  "  .289 
.250  "  .258 

fl  Except  London. 

For  London  the  rates  are  as  follows  :- 

MINIMUM    HOURLY   RATES    IN   VEHICLE    BUILDING   INDUSTRY   IN 
LONDON,  APRIL,    1921* 


Shillings 
and   Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 

1920-21 


Spindlehands  and  leading  hands 

Mounters,  coach  fitters  and  sawyers.. 

Other  skilled  men    

Vicemen     

Hammermen  and   brush   hands 

Laborers    


2  1 

1  11 

2  0 
1  7 

1   sy2 
1  2>y2 


.507 
.466 
.487 
.385 
.355 
.314 


.390 

.359 
.375 
.297 
.273 
.242 


aRates  up  to  4  pence  (par,  $.081;  exchange  1920-21;  $.062)  in  excess  of  min- 
imum rates  are  paid   to  skilled   men. 

Maximum  rates  were  defined  for  Liverpool,  Manchester, 
Oldham  and  Stockport,  2  shillings,  4  pence  (par,  $.566;  ex- 
change 1920-21,  $.437)  per  hour  for  Liverpool,  and  2  shillings, 
3  pence  for  the  three  other  towns,  (par,  $.547;  exchange  1920- 
21,  $.421), 


'Labour  Gazette,  May,  1921,  p.  264. 
'Idem.,  p.  264. 


102 


France 

Wages  in  the  various  branches  of  the  French  wood-working 
industry,  as  fixed  in  the  collective  agreements  between  Janu- 
ary and  July,  1920,  and  published  by  the  Ministry  of  Labour, 
are  tabulated  below.  Wages  for  skilled  labor,  where  definitely 
stated,  varied  for  the  different  trades  and  in  the  different  lo- 
calities from  2.25  francs  (par,  $.434;  exchange  1920-21,  $.156) 
per  hour  minimum  rate  to  3.15  francs  (par,  $.608;  exchange 
1920-21,  $.218)  per  hour.' 

HOURLY    WAGES    IN    WOODWORKING    TRADES    IN    VARIOUS   LOCAL- 
ITIES FIXED  BY  COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,  JANUARY  TO 
JULY,   1920 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Joiners   and   carpenters 

Toulouse'    

St.  fitienne 

Carpenters     

Joiners    

Thiers'   

Rouen'    

Furniture  making 
Pont-de-Beauvoisin    . 

St.   fitienne'    

Le  Havre 

Men    

Women 

Halluin 

Chair  makers   

Bordeaux 

Cabinet  makers',  ". 
Coach  makers 

Morlaix"    

Lille'    

Rouen     


2.50 

2.50to2.75 
1.90  "  2.50 
2.25 

2.25 


1.25 
2.25 

3.00 
1.50 

2.00 

2.87 

1.25 
2.15 
1.25 


2.30 


2.85 


2.38 
2.85 
3.15 


.483 

.483  to  .531 
.367  " .483 
.434 
.434 


.173 

.173  to  .191 
.132  "  .173 
.156 
.156 


.241 
.434 

.579 
.290 

.386 

.554 

.241 
.415 
.241 


.444 


.550 


.459 
.550 
.608 


.087 
.156 

.208 
.104 

.139 

.199 

.087 
.149 
.087 


.159 


.198 


.165 
.198 
.218 


'Minimum. 

^Reduced  from  daily   rate  on  basis  of  8-hour  day. 

'^Bulletin  du  Ministcre  du  Travail.    August-October,  1920,  p.  428,  30. 


lOj 


Germany 

In  the  zone  occupied  by  iiritish  troops  (Cologne  district)  the 
following  hourly  wages  were  in  effect  for  the  woodworking 
industry  in  August,  1920 ; 


Marks 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

£xchan«[e 
1920-21 

Skilled   

6.50 
5.80 
.70  to  1.40 

1.547 
1.381 
.167  to  .333 

.122 

Unskilled    

.109 

Youths     

.013  to  .026 

The  wages  set  by  collective  agreements  in  the  German  wood- 
working industry  in  various  localities  from  November,  1920  to 
March,  1921,  are  given  below  •} 

HOURLY     WAGE    RATES     IN     THE     WOODWORKING     INDUSTRY     IN 
SPECIFIED  DISTRICTS,   NOVEMBER,   1920  TO  MARCH,   1921 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Bremerhaven  and  vicinity^ 
Joiners  and  turners,  over  23 

years  

Experienced  machine  workers 

Experienced  women    

Unskilled  workers  and  help- 
ers    

Unskilled  women   

Bremen' 
Men 

Skilled     

Helpers    

Women 

Skilled    

Helpers    

Hamburq    and    vicinity' 
Skilled 

Men 

Women    

Trained  helpers 

Men    

Women    

Unskilled  helpers   


5.85 
5.65 
3.65 


6.10 
5.60 

4.10 
3.40 


6.30 
4.80 

5.50 
4.15 
5.40 


1.392 

1.345 

.914 

1.321 
.762 


1.452 
1.333 

.976 
.809 


1.499 
1.145 

1.309 

.988 

1.285 


.110 
.106 
.072 

.104 
.060 


.115 
.105 

.077 
.064 


.118 
.090 

.103 
.078 
.101 


^Workers  over  20  years  of  age. 
''Workers  over  22  years. 

'Rcichs-Arbeitsblatt,  November  1.  1920,  to  April  15,  1921. 


104 


HOURLY     WAGE     RATES     IN     THE     WOODWORKING     INDUSTRY     IN 
SPECIFIED    DISTRICTS,    NOVEMBER,    1920    TO    MARCH,    1921 

Continticd 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Lower  Wcser^ 

Joiners  and  turners,  over  23 

years" 

Machine  workers    

Trained    women    

Unskilled    men    and    helpers 

Unskilled  women 

Bavarid'' 
(Sawmills) 
Skilled   workers   and   saw- 
yers and  power  machine 

workers,    over    21 

Helpers  with  heavy  or  re- 
sponsible work,  over  21. 
Other   helpers,   over   21 . . . 

Women,   over    18 

Magdelburg* 
(Box   making) 

Craftsmen     

Helpers    

frankcntha" 
(Coopers) 

Craftsmen     

Helpers    

Altdainin'^ 
(Coopers) 

Craftsmen   

Other   workers    

Women     

Hamburg 

(Cigar    box    manufacturing) 
Trained        and        machine 

workers    

Other  workers  over  18. . . . 

Women  over  18   

Bre^ncn* 

(Cigar    box    manufacturing) 
Men 

Skilled    

Semi-skilled    

Unskilled    

Women    


6.35 
6.15 
4.10 
6.05 
3.45 


3.20to5.10 

3.10  "  4.95 
3.00  "  4.80 
1.95  "  3.25 


4.70 
4.30 


6.50 
5.50 


4.40 
4.00 


6.00 
5.00 


4.25 
4.00 
2.10 


6.50 
4.40 
3.60 


5.60  "  5.80 
5.40  "  5.60 
5.20  "  5.40 
3.10  "  3.20 


1.511 
1.464 
1.976 
1.440 
.822 


.762  to  1.213 

.738  "1.178 
.714  "1.143 
.464  "  .4774 


1.047  "1.119 
.952  "1.023 


1.547 
1.309 


1.428 
1.190 


1.012 
.952 
.500 


1.547 

1.047 

.857 


1.333  "1.380 

1.285  "1.333 

1.238  "1.285 

.738  "    .762 


,119 

.115 
.077 
.114 
.065 


.060  to  .096 

.058  "  .093 
.056  "  .090 
.037  "  .061 


.083  "  .088 
.075  "  .081 


.113  "  .122 
.094  "  .103 


.080 
.075 
.039 


.122 
.083 
.068 


.105  "  .109 

.101  "  .105 

.098  "  .101 

.058  "  .060 


'Workers  over  20   years. 
=Under   23    years    10%   less 
■'Married    men.       IS     mark 
additional. 

^Workmen  over  30  years. 
"Workmen  over  21  years. 
'Workmen   over   22   years 


(par,    $.0357;     exchange,     1920-21,    $.0028)     per    hour 


To  this  is  added  a  bonus  of  6  marka  (par,  $1,428; 
exchange,  1920-21,  $.113)  per  week  for  married  men,  and  for  wife  and  child  under 
14,  and  of  5  marks   (par,  $1,190;  exchange,  1920-21,  $.094)   weekly  for  single  men. 


105 


XII 

BAKING  AND  CONFECTIONERY 
Great  Britain 

At  the  end  of  1920  the  average  of  recognized  weekly  wage 
rates  for  table  hands  in  the  baking  trade  in  27  large  towns  was 
83  shillings,  3  pence  (par,  $20.26;  exchange  1920-21,  $15.59) 
as  contrasted  with  30  shillings,  3  pence  (par,  $7,360;  exchange 
1920-21,  $5,665)  in  July,  1914;  an  increase  of  about  176%. 
Hours  of  work  were  48  in  December,  1920  as  compared  with 
48  to  60  in  1914.^ 

Weekly  rates  in  the  various  occupational  groups  in  the  bak- 
ing and  confectionary  trades  in  various  towns  in  England,  as 
the  result  of  changes  from  October  to  December,  1920  are 
given  below  '?■ 


WEEKLY  WAGE  RATES  FOR  VARIOUS  OCCUPATIONS  IN  THE  BAKING 
AND  CONFECTIONERY  TRADE,  OCTOBER  TO  DECEMBER,   1920 


Shillings 
and  Pence 

Dollars 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Single  hands 

Forehands 

84  0 

84  0  to  100  0 
n  0  "    95  0 
12  0  "    94  0 

20.44 

20.44  to  24.33 
18.74  "23.12 
17.52  "22.87 

15.73 

15  IZ  to  18  IZ 

Second   hands    

14  42  "  17  79 

Table  hands   

13.48  "  17.60 

For  workmen  in  London  employed  in  the  bread  baking  and 
confectionery  trades  by  members  of  the  Incorporated  Society 
of  Principal  Wholesale  and  Retail  Bakers,  Ltd.,  and  by  co- 
operative Societies,  there  were  two  decreases  in  April,  which 
resulted  in  the  establishment  of  the  following  rates  for  adult 
male  workers : 

^Labour  Gazette,  February,  1921,  p.  64. 

'Idem.,  January,   1921,  p.  37;  February,  1921,  p.  98. 

106 


MINIMUM     WEEKLY    RATES    IN    LONDON    IN    THE    BAKING    AND 
CONFECTIONERY  TRADES,   EFFECTIVE  APRIL,    1921 


Shillings 
and  Pence 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Forehands    

Single  hands    

Second  hands  and 

doughmakers  .  . . . 
Ovensmen,    machine 

minders,   etc 

Tablehands   


80  6  to  88  6 
76  6 

74  6  "  80  6 

75  6 
72  6 


19. 588  to  21. 534 
18.614 

18.128  "19.588 

18.371 
17.641 


Exchange 
1920-21 


15. 076  to  16.575 
14.327 

13.953  "  15.076 

14.140 
13.578 


France 

The  United  States  Trade  Commissioner  in  Paris,  November 
6,  1920,  reported  that  the  daily  wages  of  French  bakers  were  16 
francs  (par,  $3,088;  exchange  1920-21,  $1,109)  in  1920. 

According  to  figures  reported  by  the  United  States  Consul  at 
Lyon,  average  daily  wages  of  bakers  in  this  city  in  1920  were 
as  follows  :^ 


Francs 

Dollars 

Par  of 

Exchange 

Exchange 

1920-21 

Bakers,  1st  class  

21 
18 

4.053 
3.474 

1  455 

Bakers,  2nd  class   

1.247 

With  an  eight-hour  day,  average  hourly  wages  in  1920  in 
Lyon  would  be  2.25  francs  (par  $.434;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.156)  and  2.621/^  francs  (par  $.5066;  exchange  1920-21, 
$.182),  respectively,  for  the  two  classes  of  labor  given  above. 

These  rates  agree  approximately  with  the  figures  in  the  wage 
agreements  published  in  the  Bulletin  of  the  French  Ministry 
of  Labor.  The  wage  rates  fixed  by  the  collective  agreements 
in  a  number  of  cities  are  tabulated  below  :^ 

'United  States.  Bureau  of  Labor  Statistics.  Monthly  Labor  Re- 
view, October,  1920,  p.  133. 

^Bulletin  du  Ministcre  du  Trawil,  August  to  October,  1920,  p.  425-6. 


107 


DAILY     WAGE     RATES     IN     THE     r.AKING     TRADES     IN     SPECIFIED 
LOCALITIES  FIXED  BY  COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT,  FEBRUARY  TO 
.  JUNE,   1920 


Francs 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 

1920-21 


Toulouse'  .. . 

Nancy  

Lille^   

Lyon   

Chatellerault 
Limoges    . . . . 


18.00 

15.00 

18.33  to  20.00 

16.00  "  21.00 

16.00 

19.25  "  20.25 


3.474 

2.895 

3. 538  to  3.860 

3.088  "4.053 

3.088 

3.715  "3.908 


1.247 

1.040 

1.270  to  1.386 

1.109  "  1.455 

1.109 

1.334  "  1.403 


^For  each  150  kilograms    (330.7  lb.)   of  flour  kneaded. 

^Reduced  from  weekly  rate  on  basis  of  six-hour  week.      Minimum   rate. 


Germany 

According  to  figures  in  Labour  Oi'crscas,^  the  weekly  wages 
of  bakers  in  Berlin  in  May,  1920,  were  255  to  265  marks  (par, 
$60.77  to  $63.15;  exchange  1920-21,  $4.79  to  $4.98)  per  week 
for  men,  and  155  marks  (par,  $36.94 ;  exchange  1920-21,  $2.91) 
for  women.  Wages  had  increased  considerably,  however,  be- 
tween this  date  and  the  end  of  1920. 

The  following  hourly  rates  for  Berlin  chocolate  and  sweet- 
meat establishments  in  December,  1920  were  reported  in  the 
Reichs-Arbeitsblatt  :'- 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of 
Exchange 


Exchange 
1920-21 


Experts  over  20  years  . 
Assistants  over  20  years 
Women  over  18   


5.25  to  5.62 
5.00  "  5.31 
2.62  "  2.94 


1.251  to  1.339 

1.192  "1.265 

.624  "    .701 


.099  to  .106 
.094  "  .100 
.049  "  .055 


'April-June,  1920,  p.  43. 
'November  15,  1920,  p.  99. 


106 


Weekly  wage  rates  set  by  collective  agreements  in  localities 
of  various  sizes,  between  October,  1920  and  January,  1921, 
were  as  follows  •} 

WEEKLY    WAGE     RATES     IN     THE     BAKING     TRADE    IN     SPECIFIED 

LOCALITIES  FIXED  BY  COLLECTIVE  AGREEMENT  BETWEEN 

OCTOBER,   1920  AND  JANUARY,   1921 


Marks 


Dollars 


Par  of  Exchange 

Exchange  1920-21 


Amberg 

Helpers 

1st   year    

After  1st  year   

Responsible    Helpers    

Dobeln 

Helpers  over  20  years    

Head   workers    

Magdeburg 

Journeymen,  20-24  years    

Older     journeymen     and     those     in 

wholesale  trade  work    

Hamburg,  Altona  and  Wandsbeck 

Journeymen  over  20  years    

Women    

Konigsberg,  Prussia 

Helpers,  1st  year  after  apprenticeship 

Advance  helpers    

Responsible  helpers  and  journeymen 
over  26  years   

^Reichs-Arbeitsblatt ,  p.  145.* 


170 
175 
180 

160 
180 

215 

240 

300 
155 

180 
204 

250 


40.51 
41.70 
42.89 

38.13 
42.89 

51.23 

57.19 

71.49 
36.94 

42.89 
48.61 

59.58 


3.19 
3.29 
3.38 

3.00 
3.38 

4.04 

4.51 

5.63 
2.91 

3.38 
3.83 

^70 


109 


ADDENDUM 

The  following  figures  on  wages  in  Switzerland  at  the  end 
of  the  year  1920  were  made  available  to  the  National  Indus- 
trial Conference  Board  after  the  report  had  gone  to  press, 
and  have  therefore  been  incorporated  as  an  addendum.  These 
data  are  considered  of  interest  and  are  included  in  view  of 
the  important  industrial  position  occupied  by  Switzerland. 

WAGES    IN    VARIOUS    INDUSTRIES    IN    SWITZERLAND    AT    THE   END 

OF    1920 


Francs 

Dollars' 

Par  of 
Exchange 

Exchange 
1920-21 

Machine  industry 

Skilled  workers  

Unskilled  workers   

Textile  industry 

Men   

Women    

Silk  industry 

Men  and  women   

Silk  subsidiary  industries 

Men 

Women    

Watch  making  industry.... 

Chemical  industry 

Paper   industry      

1.90 
1.60 

.81  to  1.84 
.74  •■  1.08 

1.15 

1.65 

1.00 
1.50  to  1.68 

1.64 
1.30  to  1.72 

1.60 

.366 
.308 

.156  to  .355 
.142  "  .208 

.221 

.318 

.193 
.289  to.  321 

.316 
.251  to  .331 

.309 

.319 

.268 

.136  to  .309 
.124  "  .181 

.193 

.277 

.168 
.252  to  .282 

.275 
.218  to  .289 

Boot  and  shoe  industry 
Skilled   workers    

.269 

'Par  of  exchange,  1  franc  =  $.193.  The  average  exchange  April  1,  1920  to  April 
1,  1921  was  the  second  conversion  basis  for  rest  of  the  report  and  has  been  also 
used  in  this  section.  There  has  been  very  little  fluctuation  in  Swiss  francs,  and 
this  figure  (1  franc  =  $.168)  is  fairly  representative  of  exchange  as  of  the  end  of 
1920    as   well   as   of   the   present  time. 


110 


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